Special development package: Sukkur, Larkana fear neglect will continue despite funds
Leaders say condition of civic facilities speaks volumes about government’s apathy
The 2012 rains in Sukkur resulted in this accumulation of water. While billions have been spent on the third-largest city of the province, the state of affairs remains sorry. PHOTO: FILE
SUKKUR:
Despite special development packages allocated for Sukkur and Larkana in the 2015-16 budget, residents fear that the legacy of neglect by the authorities will continue. While Sukkur, in its first special package, is to receive Rs19 billion, Larkana has been allocated Rs39 billion.
With broken roads and a failing drainage system, the third-largest city in Sindh has suffered from the apathy of elected representatives even though billions of rupees have allegedly been spent on its development. In the face of continuous neglect, various political parties and trade bodies have joined hands to form the Sukkur Development Alliance (SDA) to draw attention to the city's plight but to no avail.
"Rs19 billion is insufficient for carrying out development work in Sukkur, which is a hub for business in Sindh," claimed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, who was nazim of Sukkur district from 2001 to 2008.
"The provincial government did not earmark funds for the city last year and should, therefore, have announced more funds," he pointed out, adding that announcing special packages was one thing but releasing the funds was also important.
SDA chairperson Jawed Memon believed that the special package had only been announced to garner support from the residents in the upcoming local bodies elections. "Billions have been spent in the name of mega-projects while Sukkur's civic facilities have gone from bad to worse," he alleged, while speaking to The Express Tribune. "This package has the potential to change the face of the city but I am afraid these funds too will go down the drain. The condition of Sukkur speaks volumes about the apathy of the elected representatives."
Meanwhile, PPP MNA Nauman Islam Shaikh termed the development package a welcome sign. Admitting that no major roads had been constructed in Sukkur since 2008-09 and the existing main roads were in poor condition, he asserted that the streets in the slums, however, were in good condition. "Development works are underway in Sukkur and with the help of the special package, people will see a positive change within the next 10 months."
Responding to SDA's allegations, he said that if they had proof about the embezzlement of funds worth Rs22 billion by the elected representatives, they should come forward with it. "We cannot rule out mismanagement in some cases but pointing fingers without proof is not a healthy activity."
Larkana
In Larkana, which has also received special development packages in the past, people are wary of the government's promises.
"Larkana has been the seat of two prime ministers but since then, the city has been badly neglected," Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz Larkana district president Baboo Sarfaraz Jatoi told The Express Tribune. "The PPP government claims to have carried out record development work here but it was only on paper. They have done nothing but change the names of various institutions."
On the other hand, PPP MNA Ayaz Soomro expressed his satisfaction over the pace of development in the city, adding that the package would help carry out further development schemes. He claimed that the government had constructed new buildings for the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Law College and the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education as well as raising and strengthening the embankments of the rice canal. "People criticise us for the sake of criticism without taking into account our good work."
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2015.
Despite special development packages allocated for Sukkur and Larkana in the 2015-16 budget, residents fear that the legacy of neglect by the authorities will continue. While Sukkur, in its first special package, is to receive Rs19 billion, Larkana has been allocated Rs39 billion.
With broken roads and a failing drainage system, the third-largest city in Sindh has suffered from the apathy of elected representatives even though billions of rupees have allegedly been spent on its development. In the face of continuous neglect, various political parties and trade bodies have joined hands to form the Sukkur Development Alliance (SDA) to draw attention to the city's plight but to no avail.
"Rs19 billion is insufficient for carrying out development work in Sukkur, which is a hub for business in Sindh," claimed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, who was nazim of Sukkur district from 2001 to 2008.
"The provincial government did not earmark funds for the city last year and should, therefore, have announced more funds," he pointed out, adding that announcing special packages was one thing but releasing the funds was also important.
SDA chairperson Jawed Memon believed that the special package had only been announced to garner support from the residents in the upcoming local bodies elections. "Billions have been spent in the name of mega-projects while Sukkur's civic facilities have gone from bad to worse," he alleged, while speaking to The Express Tribune. "This package has the potential to change the face of the city but I am afraid these funds too will go down the drain. The condition of Sukkur speaks volumes about the apathy of the elected representatives."
Meanwhile, PPP MNA Nauman Islam Shaikh termed the development package a welcome sign. Admitting that no major roads had been constructed in Sukkur since 2008-09 and the existing main roads were in poor condition, he asserted that the streets in the slums, however, were in good condition. "Development works are underway in Sukkur and with the help of the special package, people will see a positive change within the next 10 months."
Responding to SDA's allegations, he said that if they had proof about the embezzlement of funds worth Rs22 billion by the elected representatives, they should come forward with it. "We cannot rule out mismanagement in some cases but pointing fingers without proof is not a healthy activity."
Larkana
In Larkana, which has also received special development packages in the past, people are wary of the government's promises.
"Larkana has been the seat of two prime ministers but since then, the city has been badly neglected," Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz Larkana district president Baboo Sarfaraz Jatoi told The Express Tribune. "The PPP government claims to have carried out record development work here but it was only on paper. They have done nothing but change the names of various institutions."
On the other hand, PPP MNA Ayaz Soomro expressed his satisfaction over the pace of development in the city, adding that the package would help carry out further development schemes. He claimed that the government had constructed new buildings for the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Law College and the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education as well as raising and strengthening the embankments of the rice canal. "People criticise us for the sake of criticism without taking into account our good work."
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2015.