Unkempt state: Shortcomings found in govt-owned houses, flat repairs

K-P Assembly’s standing committee has presented report on the matter.

PESHAWAR: Lack of coordination between the administration and communication and works departments and the negligible role of the former with regards to repair work on government buildings is affecting the quality of the structures.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Administration has found shortcomings in the working of both the departments when repairing government residential buildings. The committee has submitted report over the repair work in the K-P Assembly. The committee, headed by MPA Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, includes Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, Mohammad Idrees, Uzma Khan, Nagina Khan, Rashida Riffat and Ruqia Hina.

Committee work

In March 2014, MPA Mufti Syed Janan had asked the administration department about the repairs of government-owned residential flats and bungalows. The matter was referred to the standing committee to check the records. The standing committee held its meetings and formed a subcommittee comprising Uzma Khan and Rashida Riffat to look into the departments’ records.

A copy of the report, available with The Express Tribune, says that the sub-committee visited to government schemes, including Gulshan Rehman and Khyber colonies and gave a few suggestions for improvement. “The repair work should be done under a comprehensive plan for good quality,” reads the report. It adds that colonies require repair work, but there is not enough time to complete it and this could affect the quality. Hence,  a comprehensive plan has been suggested.

Shortcomings

It also suggests the repair work should be done on all houses without any prejudice. The records of the colonies show that only influential people can have their houses repaired.

“Over the years, the repair works has changed the actual look of the houses.” Thus the report suggests the original map and structure of the houses should be taken into consideration during renovation.

Moreover, the committee also took notice of the dirty condition of the colonies and suggested the administration and C&W departments to make proper arrangements for sanitation. At the time of the visits, it was also found that most of the houses have gas and electricity meters on private names so those who have been allotted the houses leave the bills unpaid, creating problems for new occupants. It has been suggested that the estate office of the administration department put the houses’ meters on its own name so that it can check the bills from time to time.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2015.