MINGORA:The civil society activists have alleged mismanagement in the Mingora beautification project initiated by the last PTI government.

They insisted that the relevant authorities were executing the Rs1.18 billion initiative in an indecent haste, ignoring the real problems of Mingora and adjoining Saidu Sharif town.

“For the project, all boundary walls of the buildings of government departments were demolished though 90 percent of them were in good shape, before being reconstructed. We fail to understand the logic behind that exercise. A huge sum of money was wasted on the demolition and reconstruction, which could easily be repaired with little money,” civil society member in Saidu Sharif Hazir Gul told Dawn.

The local residents also objected to the reconstruction of some roads, which, they claimed, were in good condition.

Civil society activists insist authorities executing initiative ignoring local problems

“Instead of reconstructing dilapidated roads, the Bypass Road, which was in very good condition, was chosen for the beautification project. In an ill-planned way, reconstruction was launched diverting the traffic bound for upper Swat to Mingora and thus, causing chaos,” resident of Mingora Saeedur Rehman said, adding that there were no signs of the road’s early widening as promised by the district administration.

He said the road from Green Chowk to the Police Lines was also in a very good condition but that was rebuilt under the beautification project.

The civil society members declared water shortage and absence of proper sewerage system major problems of Mingora area.

“The two streams running through Mingora from Jambil and Marghuzar valleys have become drains as sewers throw all sewage collected in the area falls into them. These streams were once the beauty of the town and a major tourist attraction, where the people would sit, bathe and wash clothes.

However, now no one can get close to it due to strong smell and suffocation,” said Zafar Ali Kaka, a social activist in Mingora.

He said hundreds of trees stood on both sides of the streams and thus, rendering the weather pleasant and reducing air pollution.

“Now, suffocation, air pollution, ugliness and mismanagement are the prominent characteristics of the town,” he said.

Social and cultural activist Usman Ulasyar said the contractors had cemented the roots of most trees planted along Saidu Sharif and College Colony roads and thus, causing them to wither.

“In the name of beautification, they (contractors) are turning the town ugly as there is no more greenery,” he said, regretting the district administration and forest departments didn’t act against culprits.

The social activists demanded the plantation of poplar trees along the two streams of Mingora and Saidu Sharif, which will not only lower temperatures but also cover garbage.

Amjad Ali of Mingora said tree plantation should be carried out along Saidu Sharif Road, Marghazar Road, Bypass Road, Fizagat Road and other arteries.

The civil society members also complained that the contractors piled up debris along the roads.

The civil society members however appreciated renovation of Wadudia Hall and Grassy Ground and reconstruction of some link roads.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018