HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Municipal Corporation`s director of land (an official of BS-17) has been relieved of service immediately on the directives of Hyderabad mayor and `disciplinary` action against him has been recommended under relevant rules on charges of engaging in shady deals with `commercial projects` on HMC`s land.

Municipal commissioner Anees Dasti took the action after receiving the mayor`s instructions.

He had sent a letter to secretary of Sindh Local Government Board on Sept 15, stating that Maharram Ali Sand, a non-Sindh Council Unified Grade (SCUG) officer, who was presently posted as director of land, has initiated proposals for execution of `commercial schemes` on BOT basis on various properties of HMC and carried out correspond-ence with the government without adopting proper course for which he was not authorised.

`His attitude falls within the purview of misconduct,` said the letter. Under the mayor`s directives Sand was required to report to Sindh Local Government Board and disciplinary proceedings were to be initiated against him.

The mayor told Dawn that there were various complaints against the HMC`s official hence he was relieved from service. `He had initiated proposals for commercial projects for which he was not competent,` he said while mentioning the projects of Elite cinema, existing HMC`s main secretariat on Station Road and a plot in front of a private hospital off Autobahn road.

`The director of land can`t do this and that`s why the action has been taken.

Former MC Fakhir Shakir and former administrator Mohammad Farooq, whoenjoyed support of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were also in cahoots with Sand on the proposals of HMC,` said Shoro, adding Farooq had served as HMC administrator before local bodies polls held in January this year.

The HMC`s correspondence obtained by Dawn revealed that a proposal for commercial plaza on BOT basis on 131,00 square feet plot (number-69) in front of a private hospital off Autobahn road was initiated before LG polls when the HMC was headed by the administrator.

Mr Sand contended that this proposal was taken up with Sindh government in continuation of past projects like Tonga stands near Market Tower and Station Road and Tara Chand (now Hafiz Mubarak Ali Shah hospital) where buildings were built but properties remained with HMC.

`The municipal commissioner can`t relieve meand I will question it before the court,` he said. He had informed the mayor that this proposal pertained to the period when the mayor was not elected. He did not receive any showcause notice nor an explanation but was removed directly from the post, he complained.

Multimillion rupee amenity plot for rent Reports are rife within the HMC that there was a proposal for renting out a parking area on a plot in unit-6 Latifabad behind Red Crescent hospital which was developed by outgoing Hyderabad DC and HMC administrator.

Sources said that negotiations with a party hadbeen held and a Karachibased party had shown interest in it. `We have learnt that the mayor kept the file of his plot with him after some paperwork has been initiated for disposal of this parking area,` disclosed a source. Sand denied the reports.

The HMC is in transition phase following recent elections. The mayor do not want to hand over properties worth billions of rupees to newly created nine town municipal corporations while the Provincial Transition Cell has disagreed with his view in the light of a detailed report submitted by then chairman of district transition team/deputy commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro.