SC seeks report from Chief Engineer Sukkur-Kotri Barrage, MD SIDA

ISLAMABAD   -  The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought report from the Chief Engineer Sukkur-Kotri Barrage and the Managing Director (MD) Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) in a case pertaining to non-payment of arrears to the contractor for cleaning of canals of the barrage.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the case filed by Kamran Ali Jalbani seeking recovery of government contractual amount. 

During the course of proceedings, petitioner Kamran Ali Jalbani said that he got a contract for cleaning the canals of Sukkur and Kotri Barrage in 2018. He said that his firm completed the work but funds were not released.

He said that the provincial finance secretary formed a committee on his demand for payment which ruled in his favour. The Provincial Secretary Irrigation did not release the money  and blacklisted his construction company, he added.

The Additional Advocate General Sindh said that the work letter was not given to the petitioner.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that according to the record, the petitioner worked but was not paid.

The Additional Advocate General Sindh said that the court should summon a report on the matter. The court sought report and adjourned hearing of the case for two weeks.

Special cleanliness operation after Protest sit-in

A special cleanliness operation and subsequent fumigation was carried out at Faizabad interchange and on entire Murree Road after procession and sit-in to maintain the beauty of the city. 

Sanitary workers of Albayrak and Rawalpindi Waste Management Company collected waste from Murree road, roadsides were washed and the green belts were swept while containers were also removed from the roads.

After uncertain situation, cleanliness operation was paused but now it has been resumed and workers were busy for returning the city to normalcy after removing huge quantity of left over waste and junks. 

The authorities have directed the sanitation staff to further boost the efforts for cleanliness of the city.