Power tussle grips Chaklala Cantonment Board

RAWALPINDI:

A tussle between two Sub-Engineers over the distribution of key departments continues at the Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB), adversely affecting the working and leaving productivity in a "compromised" state.

A six-member squad has been activated separately for composition fees, commercialisation recovery and sealing of properties under the Building Control Cell. The squad has been introduced as an alternative to the existing system involving pump attendants and building checkers. However, its performance in curbing illegal construction and commercialisation remains negligible.

Instead of producing better results through the distribution of powers, one Grade-14 Sub-Engineer has simultaneously been assigned responsibility for five wards under the Building Control Cell, recovery of composition fees against illegal commercial conversions across the cantonment, property sealing, water supply and engineering affairs.

Meanwhile, another Grade-14 Sub-Engineer, senior to him, has been given charge of five wards under the Building Control Cell and the electrical section. The division of responsibilities has reportedly led to an ongoing tussle between the two officials.

The Building Control Cell's 10 wards have also been divided among four pump attendants - Ehtesham, Mohsin, Malik Farooq and Adeel - and a building checker, Zaheer Makhdoom. The arrangement has failed to effectively curb illegal residential and commercial construction

A separate six-member squad comprising Abdul Rehman, Shahzaib Shaukat, Muhammad Haris, Waqar Ahmed, Zafar Hayat and Talat Mahmood has been formed to impose composition fees, recover dues, regulate commercial conversions and seal buildings.

The squad reports to a single Sub-Engineer, but no significant performance has so far emerged in dealing with illegal commercial construction or the commercial use of residential buildings.

Additional Cantonment Executive Officer Muhammad Ali Shahid said monitoring of the relevant affairs had been tightened through a Chief Engineer and two Sub-Engineers. He said strict action would be taken against anyone found violating the rules or against whom a complaint was received.