Expressing concern over unplanned and haphazard construction of houses and commercial structures as well as unhygienic and ugly conditions in Kaghan, Naran and other tourists’ resorts, the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has asked the authorities concerned to form independent management board for Kaghan Development Authority to make it fully functional on the lines of Galiyat Development Authority.
He also issued directives for establishing separate development authorities for Malakand, and Dir, Chitral areas. The CM also ordered to finalize the formation of Board of Directors (BOD) for the divisional level Water and Sanitation Services Companies (WSSC) within three days and make other necessary arrangements for making these companies fully functional and enabling them to launch their operations in all divisional headquarters of the province. He announced that such companies would be set up at district level throughout the province during the next financial year under the third phase.
Presiding over a meeting regarding progress on WSSCs held at CM Secretariat Thursday, the Chief Minister directed the Divisional Commissioners to propose purely professional and visionary persons of good repute for BODs of WSSCs and strictly avoid political figures and their relatives while making selection for the BODs. He, however, asked them to include Nazims of concerned district government, and tehsil and town councils in the body.
Among others who attended the meeting were the provincial ministers, Inayatullah, Muhammad Atif, Imtiaz Shahid, Akbar Ayub, Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, Mahmood Khan, Qalandar Khan Lodhi, MPAs from six divisional headquarters, Secretary Local government, the divisional commissioners excluding commissioner Peshawar, and other concerned officers. The meeting reviewed in detail the progress on launching of WSSCs and uplift and beautification of the divisional headquarters’ cities as well as ongoing anti encroachment drive.
Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on this occasion directed the commissioners to ensure removal of remaining encroachments in the urban areas of their jurisdiction and submit completion certificate of every district on successful complete of anti encroachment operation. He also directed to rehabilitate the retrieved state lands by providing traffic facilities and other necessary amenities.
In response to a complaint made by Swat MPAs Mohibullah and Azizullah Khan, the Chief Minister ordered the C&W department to retrieve 2.5 kilometer long Mingora Bazar which was handed over to National Highway Authority and again take over this road in larger interests of the shopkeepers of the bazaar. He also ordered the divisional administrations to remove unauthorized posters and bill boards and do not allow placing of such boards without following the legal procedures. Mr. Khattak also directed the Commissioner Hazara to take immediate measures for rehabilitating the Qaraquram Highway where encroachments were removed.
He also asked the commissioners to keep vigilant eye on price hike and sale of substandard edibles. He, however, directed that those traders and shopkeepers should not be disturbed who were maintaining standards and not involved in over charging etc.