KOHAT: District development advisory committee chairman Ziaullah Bangash has insisted that the Rs2.30 billion funds released for development projects will be spent in all the three constituencies of Kohat through the elected local body members belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, he said the deputy commissioner would give final approval to the funds at a meeting to be held on Friday (tomorrow).

He said work on two small dams in Darmalak and Zamir Gul areas, long-awaited Garden Colony tubewell and roads would be started soon.

He elaborated that Rs50 million had been set aside for the PK-82 and Rs40 million each for PK-81 and PK-80 constituencies. The remaining Rs1 billion would be spent on various other projects, he added.

Mr Bangash said the DDAC had come to know that Rs40 million were lying with the communication and works department for reconstruction of the women and children hospital as the contractor had refused to continue the project in 2019. “Now the matter will be forwarded to the provincial government for hiring a new contractor to complete the project,” he added.

He said Rs250 million had been approved by DDAC for replacing electricity transformers in PK-82.

Mr Bangash said Rs420 million had been released for replacing the existing 8-inch diameter gas pipeline with 16-inch from Dhoda to Peshawar Square, the Rawalpindi Road and the city. He said Rs10 million would be given to the tehsil municipal administration for installing solar lights.

DISCOUNT ON FARES SOUGHT: Chairman of Togh Bala Youth Welfare Association Inam Khan has demanded of the traffic wardens to ensure that the drivers of the public transport vehicles give 50 per cent discount on fares to students.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, he said the poor students could not afford repeated hikes in transport fares. He said the 50 per cent concession announced by the government for students was not being implemented by transporters.

However, the transporters’ association members said they could not implement the order due to exorbitant increase in rates of CNG, petrol and diesel.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2021