The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Tuesday held its first open katchehy where citizens raised concerns about the lack of provision of basic facilities, including lack of drinking water and poor sanitation.
There were also complaints related to the malfunctioning of street lights, inefficient sewerage systems and illegal constructions.
Apart from this, issues regarding tax bills, acquisitions, building plans, tax assessment for land and repair of streets were also raised at the open court.
A large number of men, women and elders attended the session.
RCB Executive Officer Imran Gulzar, Additional CEO Syeda Umaima Ali and Vice President Malik Muneer Ahmed assured the citizens to resolve the issues. Elected members of the RCB were also present.
Women citizens complained about water bills and the non-regularisation of jobs even after nine years in the board. A woman said that she is a widow and has a shop next to her house for which a tax notice of Rs150,000 had been sent to her.
She said that the cantonment officials were calling her to pay the tax or the shop will be sealed.
Additional CEO Syeda Umaima Ali said that she cannot stop the process of sealing the shop. Citizen Malik Naeem raised the issue of lack of water in Naseerabad while Tariq Mehmood raised the same issue in Azizabad. Malik Khadim spoke about the problem of the non-supply of water in Naseerabad.
A citizen said that there is no water in his street for 10 years. He said that he reported the issue to Vice President Malik Munir but in vain. Malik Naeem pointed out the problem of the presence of workshops in the residential areas, to which the Additional CEO said that the problem will be solved.
Qazi Humayun pointed out the worst situation of sanitation. Muqqdar Hussain, Muhammad Abid and others spoke about the water problems in Ward 05, Ghaziabad and Ahmedabad.
The RCB executive officer said that water reservoirs and tube wells were drying up and the board cannot resolve the water issue on its own.
He said that other problems including cleanliness and sewerage issues will be solved on a priority basis.
RCB Executive Officer Imran Gulzar compiled a formal record of the problems of all the participants of the open Katchehry. He told the citizens that the open court will now be held every Tuesday and their issues will be heard.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2023.
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