HYDERABAD, Jan 27: Modalities to upgrade and convert the Rani Bagh into a model park were discussed at a meeting held here on Thursday.

The meeting discussed development features of the Rani Bagh and formed a committee, headed by Hyderabad Development Authority director general Tahir Ahmad with Qasimabad Taluka Nazim Noor Mohammad Shoro, HDA building control director Masood Jumani, agriculture EDO Shahabuddin Siddiqui and the Qasimabad taluka municipal officer as its members.

Speaking on the occasion, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, who presided over the meeting, directed the committee to prepare a master plan of the project by the end of February.

He asked the committee to avail services of private and public sectors and ensure that their proposals were sound and they generated income for maintenance of the park. He said two sub-committees for development of the park and zoo should be formed to prepare PC-I so that work on the project could be started in March.

The DCO informed the meeting that a snake farm would also be established in the zoo with facility of a snake research unit to carry out research on snakes of Sindh. The DCO directed the HDA management of to arrange an efficient drainage network to ensure sustainable development of the Rani Bagh.

He said many organizations had offered assistance in development of the park. He observed that the Rani Bagh was the only park that provided entertainment facilities not only to people of Hyderabad but also of interior of Sindh. However, he regretted, the park had been neglected for many years.

He urged experts and philanthropists to come forward and help the district government in development work of the park. Meanwhile, the DCO handed over a cheque of Rs100,000 to Mai Jando whose two sons and a son-in-law were killed by security forces in the Tando Bahawal carnage and whose two daughters committed self-immolation in protest against inordinate delay in dispensation of justice to the family. The cheque was delivered on behalf of Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

LB ELECTIONS: Nazims and naib nazims of the Al-Khidmat group at a meeting held here on Wednesday decided to contest the local bodies' elections under the banner of the Ittehad-i-Millat group.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Dr Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair presided over the meeting. He said 'defeated elements' under the patronage of the government were engaged in a planning to rig the elections and take over the control of the local bodies.

He also stressed the need for reorganizing the MMA. A coordination committee under the leadership of MPA Abdul Rehman Rajput has already been constituted to contact like-minded parties for preparing a joint list of candidates for the elections.