LG representatives seek offices, honorarium

PESHAWAR: The City Council members on Tuesday demanded offices and honorarium for the elected local government representatives besides approval of the establishment of rehabilitation centres for the drug addicts.

The members at a session here said they were unable to serve the people in the absence of any powers while the masses were contacting them for the resolution of their problems.

Convener Malik Tariq chaired the session. A member from Kohati, Amirzada, demanded the abolition of the parking stand in Kohati which was causing traffic jams in the locality. The council cancelled the tender of the parking with a majority.

The council approved the establishment of a drug rehabilitation centre at a hospital in Kohati locality.

Haji Irshad from Lahori lamented not being taken into confidence for initiation of development schemes in his area and the lack of staff at the neighbourhood council.

He said the elected representatives were compelled to visit various government offices for approval of different schemes.

Haji Irshad demanded that the availability of the municipal inspectors, plumbers, electricians and other officials should be ensured at the neighbourhood councils to facilitate citizens at the local level.

Ibrahim Khan from Hassan Garhi brought to the attention of the council the rising incidents of robberies in his locality and demanded the establishment of checkpoints there.

A woman member, Neelam, drew the council’s attention to the open manhole in Gulberg which could cause human loss as the road was frequented by schoolchildren and elderly people besides others. She demanded an end as well to the gas loadshedding in her area.

She said that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited authorities had failed to address the gas shortage problem in several areas of the provincial capital, which had been facing severe loadshedding for the last several months.

Another council member, Shahzad Khalil, said citizens were facing severe gas loadshedding and low-pressure issues, calling for a permanent solution to the problem.

He demanded that the Revenue Department officials should be forced to perform duties in their respective areas.

Rozina Bibi said that citizens were forced to burn fuelwood due to the continued suspension of gas supply to several areas of the provincial capital.

Imran Salarzai, a member from Hayatabad, said that the government should establish community centres and construct schools on the vacant plots in Hayatabad.

Akhunzada Zahidullah Shah from Nawazad-Abaseen neighbourhood council said most of the areas in his council were not getting clean drinking water, saying even in some areas the water supply pipes had gone rusty and unhygienic water was being supplied to residents.

Khalid Iqbal said that encroachments on the University Road had created problems for the residents but authorities did not take action despite repeated requests. He demanded action against illegal hostels in the University Town commercial plazas constructed without approval from relevant authorities.

Masood Khan said that Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar had failed to provide clean drinking water to consumers despite getting thousands of rupees revenue from them as water supply charges.

Mayor Zubair Ali said that a dispensary tube well and water filtration plant would be established at every union council level.

He said despite the establishment of the City Council, the Peshawar Revival and uplift Plan was being carried out by someone else which was a matter of concern.

The mayor said the hospital at Kohati had been dysfunctional for the last 17 years and the secretary of health had assured his cooperation to make it operational again.