Senators present list of complaints about services at Parliament Lodges

Falling lifts, moth-eaten curtains, smelly mutton, missing ambulance driver among grievances

ISLAMABAD: Senators piled up plethora of complaints against appalling state of services at the Parliament Lodges.

Senate House Committee Chairman Saleem Mandviwala responding to the rapid fire complaints from the members of the upper house summoned the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed in the next meeting of the committee.

Chairing the meeting of the committee, Mandwiwla said, civil defence director general had been asked to arrange a mock exercise for preparedness in case of emergency situation.

However, the department has yet to give any response  he said, adding that maybe the civil defence does not want to brief senators on emergency response. “Who will be held responsible in case of emergency?” he said.

Regarding CDA he said that it keeps changing consultants, but does nothing to improve the quality of services at the Parliament Lodges.

The state of lifts is so deplorable that it seems there has been no maintenance ever since they were installed. Besides, there are no operators to man and manage the lifts. If anyone gets stuck in a lift, who should they call?” Mandviwala said fuming at CDA.

Details of CDA tenders for Parliament Lodges sought

Senator Nighat Mirza told the meeting that lift of Block-E of the Parliament Lodges has been out of order for last eight days. She complained that CDA’s officials did not even bother to attend calls while the maintenance staff were also performing its duties casually.

Last day, one of the lifts crashed down, luckily no one was inside and there was no casualty, but the incident questions the efficiency of CDA.

She also told that most of the doors in lodges have been damaged by termites, while moths have eaten many curtains.

Senator Samina Saeed said that one of CDA’s officer, Nasir Abbas, was transferred for not attending calls however he had been posted on same position again. She told that the official was still pursuing same practice.

At this, the chairman committee directed that related company should be immediately contacted for bringing elevator in order.

The related authorities told the committee regarding installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and the committee was told that it would be informed about progress after reply from authorities of national assembly.

The committee discussed the matter of ambulances at lodges, a joint secretary of health ministry told the committee that they required some Rs6 million for stationing an ambulance at parliament lodges.

He added that they had acquired a non-objection certificate (NOC) from the cabinet however the matter was turned down as ex-health minister had refused to give its approval.

Mandviwala directed to write a letter to finance ministry for release of required funds. Meanwhile, Senator Perveen told that one of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences’ (Pims) ambulances was stationed outside lodges round the clock however its driver disappears vanishes as soon as the sun sets. The chairman committee instructed the executive director Pims to provide a new driver and issue show cause notice to the missing driver.

Moreover, Senator Samina Saeed complained that she had ordered mutton from lodge’s cafeteria for one of her guests. However, the meat smelt awful, as if it was rotten.

Mandviwalla directed to write a letter to food authority for inspection of food quality in cafeteria.

The committee was also apprised that matter of opening a coffee shop at lodges had been sorted out except that the contractor, Mehmoodul Hasan, had shown reservations on tender.

The chairman directed that contractor’s reservations should be removed.

He said that earlier lower staff used to remain absent, however, a number of things were improved after the committee kept raising them.

He suggested that Senator Kalsoom Perveen should sign staff’s attendance register.

The committee discussed construction of new blocks in Parliament lodges. In this regard, Mandviwalla said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) and related contractor had though conducted joint measurement for new blocks however both have written separate notes. He directed that matter should reach a conclusion in presence of chairman CDA in next meeting.

He told the members that he was surpirsed to meet consultant hired for new blocks and expressed that he was no less than a wonder. He directed that committee’s opinion should be taken in consideration before recruitment of a new consultant.

The meeting was attended by senators Mir Muhammad Yousuf Badini, Kauda Babar, Samina Saeed, Sardar Mohammad Shafiq Tareen, Kalsoom Perveen and Nighat Mirza along with joint secretary ministry of interior, director general (DG) services, officials of Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Parliament Lodges, Poly Clinic Executive Director Shahid Hanif and other top officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2019.