Hyderabd’s apex civic body running on ad hoc basis

DC gets additional charge of HDA director general

HYDERABAD:

The Sindh government has apparently decided to run the development arm of Hyderabad as well as the organization responsible for the water supply and drainage on ad hoc basis.

 After keeping the post of Director General of Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) vacant for almost three weeks, Deputy Commissioner of Hyderabad Fuad Ghaffar Soomro was given the additional charge of the DG HDA.

 A section officer of Services and General Administration and Coordinat i o n Department Ghulam Abbass Malik issued a notification in this regard on Thursday.

 "Soomro, an officer of PAS (BS-19), Collector and DC Hyderabad, is assigned to hold additional charge of the post of DG HDA in addition to his own duties."

The HDA Muhammad Sohail Khan was traferred to Malir Development Authority (MDA) on May 20.

 The official sources claimed that Khan wanted to stick to the post of the DG HDA despite his transfer.

 Another official, Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh, was assigned the same post on May 27 but due to his reported reluctance he did not assume the charge.

 Shaikh was posted as additional secretary of the College Education Department at the time of his transfer order to the HDA.

 "He wanted the Sindh government to clear arrears of the unpaid staff and other dues of the authority before he assumed the charge," an official of HDA, who requested anonymity claimed.

 Likewise, the Managing Director of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Zahid Ahmed Khemtio was transferred from the agency on April 30.

 He was replaced by an official of HDA, Anjum Saeed, as the acting MD of WASA.

 HDA is responsible for development of Hyderabad as well as for regulating the housing schemes and commercial buildings.

 The authority also develops low cost housing schemes.

 The city's water supply and drainage network are responsibilities of WASA.

 As the monsoon rains approach, both these organizations lack a fullfledged head at the helm.