HYDERABAD, Nov 2: The district council here on Tuesday demanded an inquiry by a National Accountability Bureau team into use of substandard material in development works of millions of rupees.

Holding the EDO of the works and services department Habibur Rehman responsible for the use of substandard material, the council session demanded his removal.

It decided that a three-member committee of construction experts would prepare a report on the development works and submit it in the council.

Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, in his resolution on the issue, adopted by the session, said that the EDO had been severely criticized in the session but no action had been taken against him by the government.

He said that there had been violation of schedule of material to be used in road construction with the result that the roads still were in dilapidated condition whereas political and social organizations continued to raise voice against it.

He said that despite expenditure of Rs500 million, there was no road in Latifabad where vehicles could be plied.

He agreed with the convener's observation that approved road projects were not being carried out because tenure of the district government and council was about to be over and the services and works officials wanted to spend money at their will after administrators were appointed in the district government.

Calling for an inquiry by a technical committee of the NAB, Yousuf Qureshi said that had provisions of the Sindh Local Government Organization been complied with the inception of the devolution of power, such situation would not have arisen.

He said that promises made with the council members by the district government regarding construction of the Gari Khata road and Latifabad-12 road had not been fulfilled.

He said that although condition of roads constructed by the defunct Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was poor yet they were in much better condition than those constructed by the works and services department.

He said that a drain in Latifabad unit-12 had not been constructed although the council had approved re-allocation of funds meant for renovation of Mukhi house for the drain.

On a point of order, Mr Qureshi drew the attention of the convener towards development schemes of Rs2.5 million sought by district nazim from each union council nazim and said that so far no progress had been made on the schemes.

Rauf Jafri and Dr Ayaz Arain endorsed his point of view and said that even administrative approval had not been given for these schemes and previous works had remained incomplete.

They said that quality of works of roads and streets was poor whereas "percentage of commission has substantially increased."

Another resolution tabled by Mr Khan on chaotic traffic conditions causing problems to people at Iftar time was also adopted by the council.

He called for taking notice of traffic police's performance. Supporting his resolution, convenor Nawab Rashid Ali Khan and Sumaira Akhlaq said that encroachments were also adding to traffic hazards in the city because shopkeepers had set up shops on main roads.

They said that whenever an anti-encroachment campaign was launched, traders' organizations raised hue and cry against it and the drive had to be suspended.

Qazi Hakim saw multiple reasons for traffic congestion and said that it was also because of accumulation of drain water on the dilapidated roads.

Dr Arain's resolution about the Hyderabad Development Authority and Water and Sanitation Agency was also approved in the session. It called for preparation of a feasibility and appointment of a consultant before award of a contract for water supply and sewerage works.

He urged the provincial government to form a committee, comprising the council members, technocrats and officials, to implement the schemes.

Mr Hakim disputed Arain's assertion and said that funds should only be blocked once there was an alternate arrangement for their utilisation.

He proposed that a city district government should be formed in Hyderabad.