HYDERABAD:Chief Secretary (CS) Sindh Dr Sohail Rajput has said the condition of Hyderabad is not satisfactory but the pace of development work will be expedited in the city with Rs 2 billion development package announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
While addressing the media persons here at Hyderabad Press Club on Wednesday, the Chief Secretary said in the past, Hyderabad used to be the third largest city in Pakistan, but now this city has fallen far behind.
He said that the recent unprecedented rains and floods have severely affected the province, including the city of Hyderabad where infrastructure was badly damaged.
Sindh used to receive an average of 87 mm of rain for many decades, but this year, 1700 mm of rain occurred, which damaged 2.2 million houses and 3.7 million acres of crops were damaged, he said, adding that the government has provided financial assistance, rations, tents, blankets and other items to the victims with the support and assistance of international donors while taking steps to pay compensation of Rs 5,000 per acre for the damaged crops.
He said the Sindh government would provide financial assistance to the victims for the construction of houses destroyed in floods and rains.
Dr Rajput said there were many problems in Hyderabad, including education, health, clean drinking water, and transport and efforts were being made to resolve these issues on a priority basis.
He said the chief minister Sindh was serious about solving the problems faced by the people of Sindh and, in the Hyderabad development package announced by the PM, the federal and provincial governments would give one billion rupees each, which would help to complete the development schemes of the second largest city of Sindh.
Replying to a question regarding the alleged mega corruption scandal in the NHA funds, the CS said M-6 Motorway would be constructed from Hyderabad to Sukkur and it would pass through seven districts of Sindh.
He said the investigation was underway in respect of the misappropriation of NHA funds and some amount had also been recovered. He clarified that funds were misused in two out of seven districts, therefore, work on the project could not be affected.
He said Rani Bagh was the only recreational place in the city and it would be developed with the help of public-private partnerships while Niaz Stadium would be revived with the help of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
He said he had discussed the Niaz Stadium issue with PCB Chairman Ramez Raja and he was ready to take over the control of the stadium after an agreement was signed.
He said WASA must be rationalized and water charges should be increased so that provision of clean drinking water and sewerage systems could be revamped.
He said CM Sindh had allotted 100 acres of land for the Institute of Science and Technology while Government College had already been upgraded into a university that will provide educational opportunities to the people of Hyderabad.
He also informed that National Incubation had also been established in the city to provide skill development training to the youth of Hyderabad.
He also praised the launching of the People’s Bus Service and said it would be helpful in catering transport needs of the people of Hyderabad and hoped more routes would be extended so that people of other areas could take benefit of the service.
He said traffic was the main problem of the city and it was due to lack of a police force. He assured that the police force would be increased to streamline the traffic system in Hyderabad.
In reply to a question regarding employment on the deceased quota, the CS said there was a law that one family member (son or daughter) of the deceased employee has to be recruited on the deceased quota and a committee headed by him was holding monthly meetings to accord approval of these cases.
He admitted that such cases should be expedited so that family members of those employees who died during service would be given jobs on an emergent basis.
Earlier, the governing body of Hyderabad Press Club bestowed lifetime membership upon Dr Sohail Rajput for his efforts in increasing the Press Club’s annual grant and rendering excellent services to the city while senior journalist Ali Hassan presented the shield of the membership to the CS.
An Ajrak was also presented as a gift to Dr Rajput.