Service delivery: Access to potable water is everyone’s right, says CM

Shahbaz Sharif forms committee to oversee matters regarding Saaf Pani project

LAHORE:

All citizens have a right to potable water. The provincial government will ensure that this right is provided to them, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday. He was addressing a meeting to review arrangements for the Saaf Pani Project in the province.

The chief minister formed a committee to oversee all important matters regarding the project. The housing minister and the chief secretary were put in charge of the committee.

Sharif said provision of clean drinking water across the southern districts of the province was a priority of the government during the first phase of the project. He said preference should be given to areas where there was an urgent need for potable water.

The chief minister said that best companies from around the world would be selected for implementation of the project. He said transparency in selection of companies would be ensured. He said applications should be sought from companies by publishing advertisements in foreign publications. He also asked officials concerned to hold road shows in United Arab Emirates (UAE). He said experts from countries in Western Europe, China and United States should be invited to these shows.

Sharif said Saaf Pani was a public welfare project so mechanisms should be evolved for effective monitoring of the project’s progress. He said the project would be completed in phases and no effort would be spared for timely completion of project-related work. He said under the project the government would be spending millions of rupees for provision of potable water to the masses.

The chief minister said provision of potable water to all citizens was a priority of the government and should be completed through coordinated efforts. He said potable water was a basic need and its provision should be ensured for good health of the citizens. He said provision of funds should be ensured for the purpose. Later, the Saaf Pani Company chief executive officer briefed the meeting about the project implementation status. Minister for Housing Tanvir Aslam Malik, the Punjab Saaf Pani Company chairman, MPAs Kashif Padhyar and Mian Shehbaz and officials from the Planning and Development and Housing Departments also attended the meeting.

Surprise visit: Report sought on increase in cost of construction

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed annoyance over increase in the cost of construction of a 60-bed tehsil headquarters (THQ) hospital in Raiwind. He directed authorities concerned to hold an investigation into the matter and submit a report to him about the causes of the increase in construction cost.

He issued the directive during a surprise visit to the hospital on Sunday. He also inspected construction work in various wards, operation theaters, laboratories and kitchen and directed the officials concerned to ensure timely completion of construction. He said the construction of the hospital should be completed by June.

He said a third party audit should be held to ensure compliance with construction status.

Sharif also asked the authorities concerned to construct a park at the facility.

Addressing a gathering after his visit to the hospital, the chief minister said those responsible for delaying construction of the hospital would be taken to task. He said an inquiry was already underway to fix responsibility for the delay. He said the hospital would be a state-of-the-art facility where quality health services would be available for the residents of Raiwind.

He said a water filtration plant had been installed at the Government Girls School in Raiwind. He said a flyover would be constructed over the Raiwind Railway Crossing. The foundation stone of the flyover would be laid very soon and the project would be completed in the next year.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the government was making round the clock efforts for facilitating the general public. He said he had never tolerated corruption and indiscriminate action would be taken against those found involved corrupt practices. He said economic resources were a trust of the nation and were being used with honesty.

The chief minister was accompanied by MNA Afzal Khokhar, MPA Gulzar Gujjar, the Lahore Division commissioner, the health secretary and the Lahore DCO.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2016.