‘Neglected’ no more : Chief secretary warns officials to improve civic services

Says despite spending billions, Sukkur still lacks basic civic facilities

SUKKUR:

It seems the Sindh government has finally admitted the step-motherly treatment meted out to Sukkur, the province's third biggest city.

Sindh Chief Secretary Muhammad Siddique Memon visited Sukkur on Saturday, and expressed anger over the city's poor condition despite the fact that billions of rupees have been spent on development work.

Memon was chairing a high-level meeting at the Deputy Commissioner's office, which besides other officials, was attended by leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah. Commissioner Mohammad Abbas Baloch and other officers briefed the chief secretary about development works carried out in the city during the last eight years.

Expressing anger over the poor condition of the city, the chief secretary said despite spending billions on development projects, the city is looking like it is in ruins. Making public his displeasure over the poor performance of relevant government departments, he warned officials to improve their performance, otherwise their cases would be referred to the anti-corruption establishment.

Showing dissatisfaction over the poor performance of the North Sindh Urban Services Corporation (NSUSC), Memon said it is sad that the solid waste management system is in such a deplorable condition, and that citizens are longing for basic necessities such as potable drinking water.

The chief secretary informed the meeting that funds worth Rs130 million and Rs120 million have been released for repair and maintenance of roads and buildings, and stressed that work on the projects should be started immediately.

While announcing the establishment of the Nusrat Bhutto Campus at the premises of Government Girls Degree College, Sukkur, Memon revealed the constitution of a committee for repair and maintenance of the teaching hospital. The chief secretary also directed the local government secretary to prepare a summary regarding disbursement of 14 months' salary of municipal corporation staffers.

A senior official in the city administration, requesting anonymity, said since its establishment in 2011, NSUSC has been working under the influence of politicians, who are running it as their personal business.

He said, the utility, which is responsible for water supply, drainage and sanitation, has been overburdened with political recruitments. Talking about the poor condition of the city's roads, the official said all development contracts are being awarded as political favours, and contractors receive full payment before completing the project due to which most of the work is left undone.

He suggested that government departments need to be first be cleansed of political influence, only then should one expect better results.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2016.