ISLAMABAD : After carrying the ball, the newly-appointed Chairman Capital Development Authority Syed Tahir Shahbaz wants to ball the jack but with a realistic mindset deciding to set aside all ambitious projects and ponder over only the doable ones with revival of public trust in the CDA at top.
“We should only mull over the project within our capabilities. Being a civic body we are supposed to prioritize what brings soothe in residents’ lives. Unfortunately, since last several years, the CDA has lost trust among people that requires to be restored at top priority,” the chairman said in an interview with this news agency.
He said the massive recruitment in the CDA has burdened it financially and physically but regrettably the working could not improve as inertia pervades and residents of the federal capital are getting estranged from city developers. However, he said the main focus would be on mending the ways of inefficient workers and teach them how to deal with public so that the CDA may regain the lost confidence that would ultimately help eliminate various anomalies as well.
“How we can run a civic body when both the applicant as well as the officials pre-empt their tactics - former to get his work done and latter to entangle him to mint money. This is what we need to replace with a friendly atmosphere and positive mindset,” Tahir Shahbaz desired. He said as foremost step, the CDA has banned fresh recruitment and started work on new Human Resource policy to scrutinize the workforce appointed during the predecessor’s tenures and suggest criteria for appointments in future.
He said to ensure expeditious response to the applications and transparency, the CDA has started computerization of land record. In the next phase, the record will be uploaded on the CDA website that would also help residents to submit as well as check status of their applications. He said the Member Land has been tasked to accomplish the computerization task within fortnight. The chairman said other task taken up by him is the scrutiny of kiosks what he said has proven to be a blot on capital’s beauty as these have been set up without any specific land identification as well as design. “There should be need-based criteria to allot space for kiosks. There should be a specific design of kiosks to make them attractive and worth-seeing. A committee has also been formed to devise a policy on kiosks as well,” he remarked.
He observed that there were some pilferage also in the process as people desired to get kiosk by getting signatures merely on an application that was unjustified as allotment should precede recommendations based on working by a high level committee. He also admitted that no doubt kiosks are required at some locations in the city.
The chairman said a committee has been formed to suggest steps as how the CDA can generate revenue as in prevailing scenario the authority is worried as how to afford employees’ salaries. Moreover, the CDA chief said on directives of the Cabinet Division, the CDA has started implementation of the drive to conserve water, electricity and gas to make Islamabad a model for other cities of the country.
He said the process to impose fine on water wasters has been started revoking the newly carved CDA bylwas for conservation of water that empowers it to fine violators from Rs300 to 500.