- Advertisement -
ASTORE, Dec 16 (APP):The Caretaker Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, Justice (Retd.) Yar Muhammad, while speaking on the occasion of a departmental briefing given by the Gilgit Development Authority (GDA), said that due to the rapidly increasing population and unplanned construction in Gilgit city, the provision of public facilities and the preservation of the city’s beauty have become major challenges.
He stressed that the GDA should utilize all its energies and resources to resolve these issues on a sustainable basis and to provide modern facilities to the public.
The Caretaker Chief Minister noted that the growing population density in Gilgit has aggravated the water crisis, and complaints regarding the non-availability of water are being received from various areas. He directed that the early completion of various water supply projects under the GDA be ensured so that the public can be provided with this basic necessity.
He further said that the GDA should focus on different short-term projects to address issues such as parking and traffic management in Gilgit city. He termed the sewerage project as extremely important for Gilgit, but pointed out that complaints regarding substandard work are emerging from different areas. He directed that special attention be given to ensuring quality standards for this important project and to the timely resolution of problems faced by the public during construction. He also emphasized strict adherence to timelines to ensure completion of the project within the stipulated period.
The Caretaker Chief Minister stated that due to the ongoing sewerage project in Gilgit, a negative perception has developed among the public regarding the Gilgit Development Authority. He instructed the department to dispel this negative perception and promote a positive image by ensuring the quality and pace of work, and by adopting strict monitoring measures for the sewerage project. He also directed that quality be ensured in the re-carpeting of roads affected due to sewerage works.
He further emphasized the formulation of an effective strategy for the prompt redressal of public complaints, which would help restore public confidence and reduce their difficulties.
The Caretaker Chief Minister said that, like developed nations, there is a need for long-term planning to avoid wastage of time and resources and to prevent inconvenience to the public. He observed that poor planning and the establishment of new departments and construction of government buildings without the approval of PC-IV have adversely affected the development cycle. As a result, issues of human resource shortages have emerged in various departments, and the benefits of these projects are not reaching the general public.
He concluded by stating that measures will be taken to ensure the creation of new posts for the Gilgit Development Authority and their timely release.