LAHORE Instead of correcting the previous mistakes, the Punjab government has directed top town officials to perform additional duties against junior posts and that too on those lying out of their jurisdictions, The Nation has learnt. In sheer violation of Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001, Commissioner Lahore division has directed the Town Officer (TO) Regulations, TO Planning and Coordination and TO Infrastructure and Services in all nine Town Municipal Administrations to act as enforcement inspectors, the posts originally held by BPS 07-11 staff. Interestingly, inspection and monitoring of old and new buildings does not fall under the purview of TO Infrastructure and Services, showing seriousness of the government in tackling the issue of over 2,000 dangerous buildings and streamlining new construction work in the City. Earlier, the government had relieved TMAs from the responsibility of processing and approving building plans from the TMAs and given the task to the City District Government. Now after the fresh orders, CDG will be processing and approving building plans while monitoring and enforcement will be carried out by TMAs. According to the insiders, the decision has caused serious resentment among top officials in the TMAs, who are unwilling to accept the assignments, taking plea that enormous workload would make it difficult for them to perform additional duties of enforcement inspectors. The workload is already enormous. It is difficult for TOs to act as enforcement inspectors. Moreover, these posts belong to junior staff and posting of TOs is an insult of high officials, said an official requesting anonymity. He went on to say that TOs could not monitor and enforce building bylaws as all the relevant record was with the CDG. CDG is approving building plans and now it is its responsibility to ensure that approved plans are not being violated, he said. TO Infrastructure and Services from one of the TMAs said, on condition of anonymity, that his department had nothing to do with the said task but he had been directed to act as enforcement inspector. TO I&S has been asked to evaluate strength of buildings, both new and the ones declared dangerous. The approved plans are in the possession of the CDG. Without having access to these, TOs could not carryout the task. Moreover, it is difficult to declare any building dangerous without evaluating its strength and the CDG or any TMA did not have any laboratory for the said purpose, he added.