Sindh govt's policies paralysed LGs, says Hyderabad mayor.

HYDERABAD -- Hyderabad Mayor Tayyab Hussain has urged Sindh government to work on a war-footing ahead of onset of monsoon rains to preempt the disaster which had hit the city last year and complained that prejudiced and biased policies have paralysed local government departments.

'Hyderabad faces a host of civic problems because of gross ineptitude of Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA), its subsidiary Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), irrigation department and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco),' said the mayor at a joint press conference along with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MPAs Nadeem Siddiqui and Rashid Khilji in Latifabad Unit-9 on Sunday.

'We urge the Sindh government not to ignore Hyderabad, ensure that all arrangements are made immediately before the onset of monsoon rains, shun biased policies, resolve all civic issues, announce a development package for the second largest city of the province, make the mayor and elected representatives members of HDA governing body, revamp Wasa and strengthen local government departments with full financial support,' he said.

He warned that expected heavy rains might take a heavy toll on many residential and commercial areas because of worn out and dilapidated sewerage system.

He said that employees of Wasa had not been paid salaries for several months and the government seemed to have no permanent solution to this problem because of its wrong and biased policies and irresponsible attitude towards urban areas.

'Heavy monsoon rains are approaching while areas of Latifabad and city are already deluged in stagnant sewage oozing from overflowing gutters and nullahs. It is Wasa's responsibility to drain out sewage and clear drains before and during rains by keeping required machinery ready and making heavy generators available in case of power failure to keep the system running during feared torrential rains,' he said.

He said that rise in water level in canals was already causing sewage problems in cities as the irrigation department had failed to strenAgthen embankments of canals, remove encroachments from dykes and move residents living near or on the dykes to safe places.

He said that Sindh Chief MinAister Syed Murad Ali Shah had visited inundated localities in HydAerabad last year and...