As LG law battles continue, Hyderabad’s civic agencies assessed

Disputed points referred to the president, says health minister.

HYDERABAD: As consensus over the local government system eludes coalition partners in the Sindh government, Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed says the moot points have been referred to President Asif Ali Zardari.

“We have put the issues which the core committee could not resolve before the president and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party,” he said while addressing a press briefing after chairing a meeting which reviewed the state of civic facilities in the city, here on Friday.

A core committee of the leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has been working on a draft law for the last two years. Its members, specially the government’s ministers, have been claiming to have achieved over 80% unanimity.

However, the disagreement over the control of the important revenue and police departments remains. “The committee has resolved many issues but the ones beyond its negotiating authority have been sent to the president,” said Ahmed.

The minister said the supply of safe drinking water, filtration and sewage treatment plants, cleanliness, encroachments, movement of heavy transport and occupation of government land are problems facing Hyderabad.

He assured the Water and Sanitation Agency and the municipality that they will be given funds in September. MNA Salahuddin Ahmed criticized the performance of the town municipal authorities, saying the citizens are not being given a clean environment. He complained that the elected representatives are not being heard about the development schemes.

MPA Waseem Hussain said the parliamentarians of the MQM have given their annual development funds to support the agencies responsible for water, drainage and cleanliness. “Their recoveries are dismal and they are not getting enough financial support.”

Deputy Commissioner Agha Shahnawaz Babar told the meeting that the district administration has been funding WASA and the municipality to maintain cleanliness.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2012.