LAHORE - The Punjab Assembly is all set to penalise defaulting sugar mills and water cess defaulters as the government yesterday laid two bills in the House to empower the concerned authorities to proceed against them.
Two ordinances were laid before the Assembly in the form of bills on Thursday. They included Punjab Sugar Factories Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2015 and Punjab Revenue authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2015.
Through amendment in Punjab Sugar Factories Control Act, 1950, the government intends to empower the Cane Commissioner and district revenue officers to confiscate the property of sugar mill owners who fail to pay dues to the sugarcane growers.
Through an amendment in the Punjab Revenue Authority Act, 2012, the government wants to make legislation to punish defaulters of water cess.
In the statement of objects and reason, it has been stated that there is a declining in the recovery of water rates and special charges levied under the Canal and Drainage Act, 1873. Insufficient deterrence against non-payment has been stated to be the primary reason for such a decline.
In the new legislation, it has been proposed that canal officers may be empowered to take cognizance of the incidents of repeated non-payment of water rates and special charges under section 70 of the Act and may disconnect the irrigation supplies temporarily to recover the charges.
The government also thinks that there is a rising tendency of water theft in the province and there is need to check it through effective legislation. Although the gap between demand and supply has been described as the main reason for this, the government has also attributed the tendency of water theft to ineffective reinforcement of laws.
It has also been proposed to make a provision in the Act to make certain offences relating to water theft, obstructing water ways and causing damage to canal infrastructure cognizable and non-bailable offences.
Similarly, the government has noticed that tendency of the irrigators to approach civil court in matters relating to irrigation supplies such as the need and volume of irrigation supply, size of outlets etc. is also on the rise.
It thinks that these matters, much like revenue work, are essentially technical in nature and interference by civil courts adversely affects equitable distribution of water and canal regulation.
Accordingly, it has been proposed in the new legislation to oust the jurisdiction of civil courts in certain aspects of working of canal officers.
Punjab Assembly on Thursday also granted extension in the validity of five ordinances fearing it may not be able to pass them before expiry of 90-day period.
This ordinance was issued few months back for the designing, construction and maintenance of infrastructure in Punjab in line with the best international practices. It also authorises the government to hire international and local consultants and contractors for execution, management, operation and maintenance of infrastructure.
The government made an amendment earlier this year in the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) Ordinance, 1984 (IV of 1984) to regulate fee structure of privately managed educational institutions. The amendment was laid before the House in the form of a bill on 7th October.
An amendment in the Punjab Pure Food Ordinance, 1960 was earlier made to provide for more effective enforcement of the law and rationalization of punishments. The same was presented before the Assembly in the form of a bill on 27th August this year.
The government established Ghazi University DG Khan through enforcement of an ordinance and submitted the bill in the Assembly October 7. Similarly, an amendment was made in the Ali Institute of Education Act through an ordinance and the bill was laid before the Assembly also on 7th of October. The concerned committees are yet to submit their recommendation which is a necessary legal requirement before passage of a bill by the Assembly.
The Punjab Infrastructure Development Authority Ordinance was earlier laid in the Assembly on August 27th, 2015 in the form of a bill.
According to the laid down procedure, the speaker referred all these bills to the concerned House committee giving it one month time to submit recommendations on the draft bill. As none of committees have returned the bills to House as yet, it was asked to extend the life of these ordinances.
Earlier, during the Question Hour, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mr Imran Nazir set a healthy tradition in the House by his open confession that answers to a question regarding his department were false. He also assured the House that he would take stern action against the officers responsible for providing wrong answers to the Assembly. Azma Zahid Bukhari of PML-N had sought details about the promotion and service structure of the technical and para-medical staff at government hospitals.
The department replied that there was no service structure for these employees and they retired in the same scale they were initially recruited in. Nazir further clarified that it was incorrect that these employees had no service structure at all.
Nontheless, Azma questioned as to how an incorrect answer made its way into the House when the parliamentary secretary already knew the discrepancy. She said the matter needs to be probed.
In response to another question, Imran Nazir admitted shortage of ventilators in public sector hospitals, but hurried to add that government intended to purchase some 100 ventilators this year.
Two newly elected members of Punjab Assembly, Jehangir Khanzada of PML-N and Shoaib Siddiqui of PTI and also took oath of their offices in Thursday’s session. The former is son of ex-Home Minister Punjab Shuja Khanzada. He was elected unopposed as opposition parties had not fielded any candidate against him.
While congratulating the new members, Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah said that unopposed election Mr Jehangir Khanzada was manifestation of the fact that entire nation was opposed to terrorism and terrorists had no place to live Pakistan.
Arif Abbasi of PTI pointed out quorum before start of official business, but the treasury managed to complete it soon. Speaker Rana Muhamamd Iqbal prorogued the session upon completion of the agenda.