City council seeks magisterial powers for TMOs
KARACHI, April 7: Amid a walkout by the opposition members, the City Council on Monday passed a resolution seeking magisterial powers for town municipal officers (TMOs) to control and monitor milk prices and enforce city government directives.
The resolution, which was later amended, expressed the city council’s deep concern over the sudden rise in milk prices, which it said were causing unrest among the people.
The resolution said that at present milk was being sold at Rs42 per litre in the market without the approval of the city government. It described it as unjustified and detrimental to the interest of the common man, who was already suffering on various counts and now was being deprived of an essential commodity like milk.
The resolution slammed the wholesalers for increasing milk prices unilaterally despite efforts made by the city government to persuade them to sell milk at rates ranging between Rs32 and Rs34 per litre for the convenience of the people.
An amendment was made to the resolution on the suggestion of a treasury member, Abdul Jalil, demanding magisterial powers for the TMOs to control, monitor and enforce the decisions of the city government about milk prices.
The council meeting, presided over by Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, also called for taking severe action against wholesalers and retailers for selling milk at exorbitant prices.
Earlier, when the house resumed its session, members on both sides of the divide raised several issues on points of order.
Treasury member Abdul Jalil of Faisal Town joined by other members raised the issue of water shortage in the locality. House members from Malir, Landhi and Korangi also complained of a water shortage problem.
The convener informed the house that since there were breaches in the mainline the supply in some parts of the city had been suspended. She said the breaches were being plugged, hoping that the situation would improve in a day or two.
UC funds
Al-Khidmat leader Ramzan Awan raised the issue of UC funds, reminding the convener that while the new financial year was only two or three months away, the funds of the opposition UCs had not been released.
The convener and the chairman of the finance committee, Mirza Afaq Beg, assured the opposition members that the city government would release Rs60 million within a week for UC development projects.
Unconvinced by the statement of the convener, the opposition members sat on the floor of the house and raised slogans like ‘Restore UC funds’ and staged a walkout and boycotted the remaining proceedings.
Treasury leader Asif Siddiqui stood up and informed the convener that he would try to bring them back into the house.
He told the house that the milk issue was vital as it concerned every citizen and he wanted the opposition to take part in the debate on the milk issue.
However, the proceedings of the house continued in the absence of the opposition members.
Treasury members condemned “unscrupulous persons” for raising prices of milk, thereby multiplying the sufferings of the people. They also termed it a conspiracy aimed at creating chaotic conditions.
Later, Mr Siddiqui returned to the house and informed it that the opposition members had refused to participate in the house proceedings as they insisted that until their demand for UC funds was met, they would not return.
The treasury leader criticised the attitude of the opposition, saying that whenever the house took an important city issue they, instead of participating in the debate, boycotted it.
The house adopted another resolution including the names of shopkeepers of Gole Market and other occupants in the list of tenants and for the recovery of rent.
Several treasury members took part in the debate and when the resolution was put to the vote, it was passed.
Opposition leader Saeed Ghani of the Awam Dost panel and Rafiq Ahmed of Al-Khidmat panel were conspicuous by their absence.
Later, the house convener adjourned the session indefinitely.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/8/2008
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