Daily Times

KARACHI: As may as 630 newly-elected representatives of Local Government of Sanghar district, hailing from 73 union councils, took oath on Saturday.

Additional District and Session Judge Sanghar Shahid Awan administrated the oath taking ceremony.

Out of total 73 district council members, 50 were won by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), during January 23 elections. In the result, first time in the history of Sanghar district, PPP’s chances to get elected chairman of Sanghar District Council are high.

As per details, among those who took oath, chairman, vice chairman and district council members hailing from each UC took the oath. Apart from it, 67 ward members of 11 town committees namely Khipro, Jam Nawaz Ali, Tando Mitha Khan, Shahpur Chakar, Peeru Mal, Kandiyari, Jhol, Sarhari, Khadro, Bairani and Hathoongo also took the oath. Besides that 54 ward members of four municipal committees namely Sanghar, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur and Sinjhoro also took the oath.

According to Ghulam Mustafa Tareen, local analyst, people’s expectations are very high from the newly-elected LG representatives. But it seems that Sanghar was not on priority of PPP-led Sindh government. “Before Local Government elections, Sindh Chief Minister Sindh promised mega schemes for Sanghar in return of PPP winning majority in the elections.

But even after winning the elections, no announcement was done even though people insisted CM during his visit of Khipro last week,” he maintained. “Water supply to whole district specifically Sanghar city would be major challenge for new local leadership,” he added.

According to Tareen, around 40 percent of Sanghar was not receiving drinking water. Rest of it was receiving contaminated water. “An ongoing water filtration plant scheme, worth Rs 320 million stared in 2008. After the passage of eight years only 25 percent of its work could be completed,” he added.

There are only 6,000 water connections for around 300,000 population of Sanghar city. Majority of the pipelines are 40 years old.

Usman Ghani Arain, the newly-elected ward member, is hopeful that newly elected LG representatives would solve the problems. “Water supply, improving of drainage system and construction of street roads would be our top priorities,” he said, adding Sanghar and its problems have been ignored in the past. “We would try to solve the basic problems so that we could provide relief to the public,” he claimed.