ISLAMABAD: More than seven months af ter the local bodies elections, the federal government formally notified the Metropolitan Corporation on Tuesday to deal with civic issues in the federal capital.

The notification, issued by the Ministry of Interior and available with Dawn, stated that the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015 shall come into force from Wednesday Jun 15, 2016.

According to the initial understanding between the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and the Metropolitan Corporation, 23 CDA departments and three of the ICT administration will be fully devolved to the corporation while 20 other CDA departments, which together employ 9,000 people, will be partially devolved.

According to the Local Government Act 2015, the federal government is to complete the transition of assets and human resources within 180 days.`From tomorrow, the process of transfers of assets and human resources will be started. I hope the process will be completed in a few weeks,` said Mayor Sheilch Anser Aziz.

Talking to Dawn, the mayor said that his office will be focusing more on resolving civic issues that are faced by residents of the city.

`The scarcity of water and lack of proper solid waste management system are big issues and I will make resolving these issues my priority,` he vowed, adding that CDA had never really paid attention towards water management which is the reason for the water shortage.

`I have a two tier policy to deal with the water crisis. After getting control of the water directorate, we will focus on controlling leaking from main conduction lines from Simly and Khanpur dams and we will also improve the water tanker system. For a long term solution, we will start a project for the conduction of water from the Indus River System at the Tarbela Dam,` he said.

The mayor said he has a plan to outsource the solid waste management system.

`Through a transparent deal, a private company will be selected for collecting and disposing of solid waste,` he said, Talking about the occupation of a dozen public grounds by private individuals who charge youngpeople Rs10,000 to 20,000 per day for use, the mayor said: `Public grounds are meant for the public.

We will take strict action against the mafia and will not allow anyone to charge youthforuse ofthe public grounds.

When asked, Chief Metropolitan Officer Asad Mehboob Kiani said that file work for handing over assets and human resources has almost been finalised.

`On Wednesday, we are going to hold an important meeting with the CDA chairman and I hope the transition process will be completed in a few weeks,` he said, adding that there will be no discrimination between urban and rural areas.

`We will carry out development work equally in all the 50 union councils,` he vowed.

Proposed departments According to the proposed list, the CDA Directorate of Health Services, Rescue 1122, the District Municipal Authority, sports and culture, Capital Development Authority hospital and school, security, IT management, bulk water management, water supply directorate, sewerage treatment plant, machinery pool organisation, environment (east and west), sanitation, electrical and mechanical departments will be fully devolved to the metropolitan corporation.

The 20 departments which willbe partially devolved include Human Resource Department (I and II), Law and Labour Relations, maintenance, Parks Directorates and enforcement.

CDA union opposes notification The CDA employees union has been opposing the division of CDA`s departments and human resources.

`In the ICT Local Government Act 2015, the rights and privileged CDA employees, who will be transferred to the corporation, are not protected. We should be given proper protection, said Chaudhry Yasin, the general secretary of CDA`s employee union.

He said that without a legal guarantee of the protection of rights and privilege, CDA employees will not accept their transfer from CDA to the corporation.

`We have several serious reservations over the division of CDA and have filed a write petition in the Islamabad High Court in this regard, which will be taken up on June 27,` he said, adding that instead of dividing the CDA`s departments, the mayor should just be given control of the civic authority.

CDA recently issued a notification in which it said that the rights, perks and privileges of all those employees who will be transferred to the corporation will be fully protected.