RAWALPINDI, Dec 3: No decision has been made regarding holding of local government elections in cantonments.

This was stated by Brig Hamid Khalil, the station commander of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), while talking to reporters after attending the prize distribution ceremony of the Chrysanthemum Show here on Monday.

He was of the view that constitutional wranglings were creating hurdles in the introduction of the local government system in cantonments.

The RCB station commander said cantonments fell within the jurisdiction of the federal government whereas the local government system was totally a provincial subject. He said the devolution plan could not be implemented in cantonments keeping the Cantonment Act 1924 intact. He said a new act was needed to introduce local government system in cantonments.

About the proposed bifurcation plan of the Rawalpindi Cantonment, the station commander said the plan had not been finalized and the case was still lying pending in the law division.

Replying to a question about the drinking water issue, Brig Khalil said water shortage problem would be overcome after restoration of full water supply from Khanpur Dam. He said the people of remote areas upto Dhoke Syedan would get drinking water by next summer. He said steps were being taken to reduce reliance on tubewells.

The station commander said the second phase of the Khanpur Dam project worth Rs510 million had been approved by the Central Development Working Party and work on the project would be started after the release of funds.

Earlier, speaking at the concluding ceremony of the Chrysanthemum Show, the station commander admitted Rawalpindi had lost the colour and greenery due to negligence of the Cantonment Board staff. However, the present staff members of the RCB were working hard to bring these colours back to the area.

The RCB chief executive officer, Khwaja Iftikhar Mir, while speaking on the occasion, said the annual flower show had become a regular feature of the RCB. He said the RCB had been renovating parks, located in the cantonment area. These parks had earlier become abodes of drug-addicts and criminals, he added.

The RCB vice-president, Sajid Mumtaz, and the additional CEO RCB, Hassan Akhtar, were also present on the occasion.

Later, prizes were distributed among the winners of the Chrysanthemum Show. First prize was clinched by the RCB whereas Military Hospital and Kahuta Research Laboratories stood second and third, respectively.