RCB yet to set up inquiry board over illegal construction

Board meeting decides to delay approval of additional building plans until SOP is built

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board has failed to set up an inquiry forum 10 months after it received pictorial evidence of 185 illegal constructions in residential and commercial areas within its jurisdiction.

The board, however, has barred the approval of any further residential building plans in the cantonment.

Former Cantonment Executive Officer Dr Saima Shah had tasked Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) official Nasser Yousuf with identifying illegal constructions within the jurisdiction of the board as a super-checker and to present a report to the authorities.

Yousuf developed a phase-wise report against all such constructions. But by the time he finished it and presented it, Dr Shah had been replaced by Cantonment Executive Officer Sibtain Raza.

When the report was presented, it allegedly became the subject of a quarrel between an official and the checker after which Yousuf was suspended.

He was also asked to apologise to the official before his suspension.

Later, Yousuf raised the matter when MLC Director General (DG) held an open court. The MLC chief subsequently directed to launch an inquiry into the matter.

Amid the internal wrangling, the RCB did not take any action against any officials involved in such constructions nor were the constructions regularized.

Building plans

Meanwhile, in a meeting on Monday, the RCB approved layout plans for 114 residential buildings. However, it has banned approving any further plans until they finalise standard operation procedures (SOPs) for approving plans.

This was decided in a high-level meeting of the board headed by Brigadier Shehzad Tanvir in which officials including Executive Officer Sibtain Raza and others participated.

The board also banned the sale of loose gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sugar cane juice.

The subject of banning LPG rickshaws in the cantonment was deferred after consultation with the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) secretary.

The board also approved to start work on development schemes with grants of Rs100 million from the funds allocated to lawmakers.

The board also decided to deploy enforcement staff in markets to counter encroachment while all filtration plants.

Given that Ramazan falls in the hot summer months, the board decided to ensure that all filtration plants are operating and that they will be run twice a day during the holy month. Moreover, a water tanker will be supplied to jama mosques every day.

The land branch was directed to quickly complete building by-laws while some 35 security guards will be recruited.

The board also approved the temporary recruitments of two dental surgeons, six teachers, an audit consultant and a staff nurse.

It was also decided that 10% of all students in cantonment public educational institutions will be provided education for free.

The board also approved advance payments for motorbikes and cars along with rent allowance to their employees.

Shop board tax contract awarded

The RCB awarded the contract to collect shop board tax for two years to Malik Muhammad Afzal for Rs116.6 million. Afzal previously also held the contract.

This time, the range of taxes has been increased to include streamers and banners.

For this purpose, an open auction committee was formed under RCB Vice President Malik Munir Ahmed which reviewed 18 bids and awarded the contract to the highest bidder. The contract commences from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2020.

Previously, the contract was awarded only for a year while streamers and banners were exempt.

Irregular appointment

Another allegedly irregular appointment has been made in the Cantonment General Hospital contrary to the regular service cadre. Brigadier (retired) Sultan has been appointed as the new administrator as the contract of Brigadier (retired) Junaid expired. The new administrator will supervise the medical superintendent of the hospital.

The employment contract of six-months was approved in a board meeting of the cantonment.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2019.