ABBOTTABAD: Vice Chairman Abbottabad Cantonment Board (ACB) Fawad Ali Saturday said that the Cantonment Board is committed to ensuring the provision of basic facilities to all residents within its jurisdiction.
He expressed these views while talking to the media.
The elected members of the Cantonment Board are actively working together to prioritize and resolve the issues faced by the residents based on urgent needs, developmental projects with a budget of over 60 million rupees have been approved in all wards, and work is underway on these projects.
The Vice Chairman said that the responsibility for addressing encroachments on waterways lies with the Department of Revenue and after their sanction building plans got approval from the board. He said that ACB is providing municipal services where encroachments exist ACB will not create any hurdle for the elimination.
He said that the sincere efforts of the Board members have resulted in the restoration of public trust in the Cantonment Board. The Vice Chairman mentioned that proposals have been made to increase the rent for commercial centers within the Cantonment Board’s jurisdiction by up to 10% annually to maintain them and this includes lease shops as well.
Fawad Ali said that the Department had proposed a 70% increase but I opposed the suggestion and emphasized the need for a more moderate approach.
Replying to a question about the graveyard he said that in Ward No. 10, three kanals of land have been allocated for a cemetery for the residents within the Cantonment Board’s jurisdiction and work is underway to level the area with a four-wall structure, and legislation is in progress to designate additional land near the stadium for the cemetery.
The Vice Chairman, Fawad Ali, stated that the population within the Cantonment Board’s jurisdiction has reached one hundred and thirty thousand while ACT is utilizing its capabilities to provide facilities to the public according to the available resources.
He mentioned that 120 dedicated employees are working in all wards of the Cantonment Board to ensure cleanliness. Under the tree plantation campaign, the Cantonment Board is carrying out annual work and planting trees in various locations to maintain the historical significance of Abbottabad, adding Fawad Ali said.
He emphasized that the federal and provincial governments should allocate annual funds for the Cantonment Board so that the issues of the public can be resolved more effectively. The issues and developmental work related to traders on Empire Road and Kareem Pura fall under the responsibility of the Bazaar Committee, any matter related to traders should be referred to the Cantonment Board’s office for resolution.