Judicial commission seeks report on incinerator installation in hospitals

Justice (retd) Muslim orders completion of work on treatment plants in SITE

KARACHI: The Supreme Court-mandated Judicial Commission on Water and Sanitation has directed the Sindh health department to remove Peoples Medical College Hospital, Benazirabad Medical Superintendent Dr Muzaffar Chandio from his post.

Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim, the commission's head, further directed on Tuesday the health secretary to conclude the ongoing corruption inquiry against Chandio within a week and fix responsibility.

Following his order, Chandio was removed on Wednesday and his charge was temporarily given to additional MS Dr Shamsuddin Siyal. Chandio is facing charges of alleged corruption in the execution of certain projects.

According to sources from the hospital, the alleged embezzlement relates to the construction of the 300-bed mother and child healthcare institute and the water supply feature. "The inquiry ordered by the commission against the MS has not concluded so far," Justice (retd) Muslim observed during the hearing in Karachi.

The MS had earlier informed the commission that he had written to vice chancellor of the Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences to form a committee for the inquiry. The hospital is a teaching hospital of the university. However, the commission noted that the correspondence for the inquiry is "tainted with malice".

"The MS was the project director and it wasn't the occasion for him to address a letter to the VC with regard to revenue components for which he is supposed to be responsible," Justice (retd) Muslim underlined.



Separately, the commission observed that no substantial progress has been made in the installation of incinerators to dispose off hospital waste even though a time frame was earlier submitted by the health department. "The time frame hasn't been followed."

Additional Health Secretary Jamaluddin Jalalani was tasked with the installation in the government hospitals.

Meanwhile, Shaista Mubarak, the director of development in the health department, expressed lack of knowledge about the current status of the project at the hearing.

Justice (retd) Muslim directed the health secretary to submit a report on the status of the installations.

Meanwhile, Justice (retd) Muslim asked for the details of conversion of industrial plots into commercial ones and ordered completion of work on five water treatment plants in the SITE area. The commission head directed the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency director-general to produce the details of treatment plants of different companies.

The commission also instructed releasing tenders of the Western and Northern treatment plants in Hyderabad.

Expressing displeasure over the conversion of industrial plots into commercial ones, the commission's head inquired how this was being done and according to which law.



The SITE managing-director said that the conversion of plots was SITE's governing board's prerogative.

The commission, in its remarks, said the companies had assured of installing their own treatment plants. It directed the Sepa DG to explain how much work has been done on the treatment plants.

According to the Sepa DG's report, PC-I had been approved for the installation of a treatment plant in Nooriabad while work on the treatment plant will start from September.

Anti-encroachment

The commission directed a senior member of the Board of Revenue to take action against Sukkur district Anti-encroachment Cell in-charge Muzaffar Ali Chajjan and report compliance. Justice (retd) Muslim had summoned Chajjan after his recent visit to Sukkur during which he noticed encroachments in the district. However, despite the notice and directions by Sukkur Deputy Commissioner Rahim Baksh Maitlo, Chajjan failed to appear.

The DC and Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Shaikh assured the commission that all encroachments from the water supply and drainage lines would be removed.

The Sukkur DC apprised the commission that by virtue of his office, he has been made project director of Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur. However, he admitted he lacked expertise to head the project, which has been revised multiple times with the cost escalating to Rs4.77 billion.

"Normally, the district administration should monitor such projects but the DC shouldn't be appointed as the project director as is being practised."



The commission asked the Sindh government to review its decision and hand over construction of the college building to the works department which will coordinate with the health department for technical input.

Meanwhile, Khipro Municipal Committee Chairperson Muhammad Waseem Qaimkhani submitted an undertaking stating he will improve cleanliness in the town as well as the water supply and drainage system. The commission gave him 15 days to discharge these obligations, warning of action in case of failure.