DADU, Aug 7: The drainage system in different localities of the Dadu city is not functioning properly as Nullahs are overflowing and heaps of the garbage are lying on streets and roads.

This was revealed in a visit to the city by this correspondent.

Many areas of the city remain plunged into darkness at night as streetlights are not installed there.

On the other hand, some influential businessmen and officials of various government departments have occupied commercial plots and constructed shopping centres, bungalows and houses on these plots.

A social worker of Mazdoorabad locality, Irshad Hussain Panhwar, said the civic body had not provided potable water and proper drainage and sanitation systems in the locality.

He said the municipal committee had constructed a drainage scheme at a cost of millions of rupees some three years ago but it was not working owing to the installation of defective machinery in the project.

He said Nullahs in his locality were overflowing but sanitation staff and officials of the municipal administration were not taking notice of it.

The district president, PPP, Rafique Ahmad Jamali, said pipelines of water supply scheme were broken in various parts of the city and residents were using filthy water.

He said roads of the city were in worst condition but the municipal administration was not repairing the roads.

He said development projects were started only in those parts of the town where supporters of the taluka Nazim were living while 30 localities were neglected in the development schemes and basic facilities.

The Pukar Foundation chairman Mohammad Aslam Babbur, while complaining about lack of civic amenities in Chano Shahabad locality, said the municipal administration had not built any Nullah in the locality for drainage.

He said sewage water of some ten localities of the town was diverted to a ditch of Chano Shahabad locality as a result of which a graveyard was inundated.

He lamented that heaps of garbage were lying in the locality which he said had caused outbreak of many diseases.

Babbur deplored that municipal authorities were not paying any attention to his locality.

He said some 50 colonies, including Shahbaz Colony, Pir Bux Colony, Murad Colony, Mehran Colony and Pir Najam Colony, were without basic facilities although inhabitants of these colonies were paying taxes to the municipal administration.

TALUKA NAZIM: When contacted, Dadu taluka Nazim Syed Zafar Ali Shah said Rs800,000 were allocated for streetlights of different localities in the current budget of the taluka municipal administration.

He said at a cost of Rs600,000, fountains at main roundabouts of the city were constructed, municipal park was built and machinery was repaired.

He said the municipal administration had spent Rs7,500,000 under the Annual Development Programme for construction of roads, Nullahs, water supply and drainage schemes in various localities of the town.

He said when he took over as taluka Nazim, the municipal administration was not getting full share from the government against octroi tax.

The taluka Nazim further said the government had reduced the share from Rs1,200,000 to Rs900,000 every month on this account, adding that the municipal administration was unable to pay salaries to the sanitation staff for the last two months.

He assured that pipes of the water supply scheme would be changed and a drainage scheme would be constructed during the current year in the town.

He said the municipal administration had decided to launch a drive against illegal constructions and encroachments.

DISTRICT NAZIM: When contacted, District Nazim Malik Asad Sikandar said a number of roads were constructed in Dadu city with a cost of Rs250 million in phase-I and II of the Khushhal Pakistan Programme.

He said drainage and water supply schemes and other development works would be initiated in different parts of the town soon.