CM Kamal promises timely release of funds

Laments misuse of clean drinking water in the province

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has assured the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department that its demand of Rs15 million for restoring out of order water treatment plants in Quetta will be fulfilled.
During a visit to a water treatment plant on Sipni Road on Saturday, the chief minister expressed indignation over such plants being closed.

“Quetta has been witnessing a severe water shortage but we are wasting clean drinking water in construction work, car servicing and other unnecessary usages,” he lamented.

Provincial PHE Minister Noor Muhammad Dummar and Information Technology Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Kethran were also present on the occasion.



The CM directed the PHE department to make functional all inoperative water treatment plants in the city.

“The government of Balochistan has imposed a water emergency and formed a task force for giving recommendations about water consumption and functioning of treatment plants,” he said.

The chief minister was informed that the plant on Spini Road was installed 12 years ago and had been providing 1.8 million gallons of water but for the past couple of years, the supply had stopped.

Kamal said the provincial government was taking immediate steps for the regular supply of water to the people.

He accused the previous government of “wasting public money” on “unnecessary projects”.

The CM instructed the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to install more water treatment plants in the provincial capital.

Taking notice of the expensive machinery being kept in the open, the chief minister admonished WASA authorities and sought a report on the purchase of equipment for water plants in Quetta.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with a delegation of students from Barkhan district on Friday, the CM said an education emergency had been imposed in the province and a task force was being formed for reforms in the sector.

The chief minister said education was the way to prosperity in Balochistan.



“Teachers’ role in the educational revolution is imperative because without sincere efforts from them the provincial government can’t uplift the flawed education system in Balochistan,” Kamal said, adding that students should pay keen attention to their careers.

Provincial Minister Sardar Abdul Rehman Kethran was also present on the occasion.

Stressing that the students should pursue sports activities along with education, Kamal said it would help them develop a positive personality for contributing to a healthy society.

Kamal assured the students of the provision of books for the library of the Inter College in Barkhan and repair work of the teachers’ hostel.

The chief minister also had a meeting with a delegation of candidates waiting for appointments despite passing National Testing Service (NTS) exams. He said the provincial government had finalised a policy to ensure merit and eligibility in new government appointments. The policy would be tabled in a cabinet meeting for approval, he added.

“We want to assure the youth that all appointments will be made on merit. The government has decided to review the appointments made through NTS under the previous government,” Kamal said.

The delegation complained to the CM about alleged flaws in appointments by the previous government.

Kamal alleged that “favourite candidates” were appointed in various departments under the last government, while “332 eligible candidates were deliberately neglected”.

He assured the delegation that justice would be served.