Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Friday interacted with the newly elected chairmen, and vice-chairmen of district councils, Town Municipal Committees, and Town Committees of four districts of Hyderabad Division and urged them to develop parks, playgrounds, water supply and sanitation schemes, and streets.
“The main issues of our towns and villages are defective or nonfunctional sewerage systems that the gutter or open drains are flowing onto the streets,” he said and added that his government had constructed sewerage systems almost in all the small towns and villages but there was lack of ownership of the schemes which chairmen had to look after and own in the larger interest of people of the areas.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, MPA Aijaz Shah, Dost Mohammad Jesar, Asif Shah, and others.
The chief minister said that he had started meetings with the newly elected representatives of local bodies so that he could listen to them and give his guideline so that a working relationship could be developed to redress the public grievances.
“Our main objective is to serve the province and make a difference,” he said.
Shah said that during his tenure he had developed water supply and sanitation schemes in every town and village.
“We have developed towns, and parks, constructed village-to-market roads, and the roads to connect the villages with main roads,” he said and added that some of the small roads had dilapidated due to heavy rains and floods while some of the sewerage schemes had failed to serve the purpose because of lack of ownership.
The chief minister said that now local bodies elected representatives had taken over and urged them to give ownership not only to the schemes but each and every brick and equipment installed in their areas.
“These schemes are public property, and you are their custodian,” he said and hoped these schemes would function properly and in the public interest.
Murad Ali Shah urged the local bodies chairmen to remove encroachment from their areas, beautify their towns, develop playgrounds, promote cultural and sports activities, and ensure each and every employee of their local body must work honestly.
On the request of the local bodies’ chairmen, the chief minister directed Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah to provide refuse collection vehicles to every town committee and fire tender facilities at least in every taluka headquarters.
Minister Local Government, Nasir Shah speaking on the occasion said that the budget of all the towns and district councils had been increased by 50 percent.
He said that the local government would strengthen the local bodies by giving them funds and providing them with equipment.
The chief minister already directed to extend the sphere of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board to all the districts, Nasir Shah said and added that the scope of Rescue 1122 would also be enhanced to all the districts, talukas, and villages shortly.
The local bodies thanked the chief minister for listening to their grievances and issued orders for their redressal.
