Hungarian govt offers Euro 50m aid to Wasa: MD

LAHORE: The Hungarian government has offered Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) an aid of 50 million Euros and soft loan of 82 million Euros to improve water and drainage system of the provincial capital.

This was revealed by Wasa Managing Director Syed Zahid Aziz here Thursday in a meeting. Wasa MD called the meeting to brief his team about the achievements of Budapest International Conference, which he attended recently.

Syed Zahid Aziz said the offer of Hungarian government would help in improving the water supply and drainage system in City, which would also improve the water quality. Wasa Lahore will improve the service quality through its partnership with Budapest Water Works, he said adding Wasa would set up an Emergency Response Unit to deal with any future emergency situation.

Wasa MD announced that SCADA system would be installed at all tube-wells in City for best monitoring. The Agency will also set up a small scale treatment plant along the canals adjacent to Lahore parks, the water of which will be supplied to the parks and for this, treatment plants will be set up in Iqbal Park, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park as a pilot project. The Burki Road Sewerage Drainage and Treatment Plant project will also be completed with the assistance of the Government of Hungary, he announced and said that with the participation of Budapest Water Works, Wasa Lahore officers would have access to international level training opportunities. He appreciated the efforts of Pakistani Ambassador Muhammad Ijaz.

Land retrieved: A sum of Rs426.1 millions market value state land having an area 1,761 kanal had been retrieved in Tehsil Bhawana, District Chiniot. This was told by SMBR Babar Hayat Tarar. According to senior member board of revenue Punjab, operation against encroachers and land mafia with the help of local administration had been intensified on the direction of the chief minister. Babar Hayat Tarar has said that the protection of government lands was the objective and foremost responsibility of the Board of Revenue.

Open court: Secretary Specialised Healthcare Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi said that all the cases of employees pending in department since long would be cleared and resolved on priority basis. He was addressing an open court in his office while listening to complaints of employees who came from different hospitals and medical institutions here Thursday. He asked the officers to give priority to resolve issues and problems facing the people. The employees presented their complaints to Secretary on which Secretary issued orders on spot and asked the officers to keep employees concerned posted with actions of the department. Dr Qazi said that his office remained open for all employees and no laxity would be shown in resolution of their problems.