Dera Ghazi Khan district slowly inching towards progress

A total of 15 ambulances, capable of moving with ease in hilly areas, have been provided to the district

MULTAN:  

Promises made by the Punjab Chief Minister regarding turning Dera Gazi Khan district and Taunsa tehsil into developed regions are slowly being fulfilled, The Express Tribune has learnt. Around 60 of the 100 schemes announced by the CM have been approved or their summaries have been prepared.

Reportedly, five air conditioned Speedo buses in Dera Ghazi Khan district and three in Taunsa tehsil have been launched to provide residents with safe, comfortable and economical transport facilities. Similarly, the citizens living in the mountainous region of Barthi have also been provided with electricity. To curb criminal activities and to minimise street crime in the district, officials from the Dolphin Force have been deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, to protect tribal areas from Rod Kohi floods, a water storage system has been initiated along with a project to construct and restore bridges.

In the realm of education, Ghazi Medical College, Ghazi University and other private universities are being up graded to provide quality education to those living in tribal areas at a cost of Rs2.5 billion; quotas will be fixed for those belonging to middle class families. Further, 12 buses have been provided to various colleges while Rs200 million have been allocated for furniture, IT equipment, books and other facilities.

A four-year BS programme has been initiated in all colleges while sports grounds are being constructed at 10 institutes. At least Rs500 million have been allocated for laying AstroTurf in the Dera Ghazi Khan Hockey Stadium.

A number of health projects have also been initiated. Firstly, four by four ambulances have been provided to Barthi while two maternity ambulances, for the provision of immediate medical help in emergency situations, have also been given.

A total of 15 ambulances, capable of moving with ease in hilly areas, have been provided to Dera Ghazi Khan district. Further, the hill allowance, for government employees working in mountainous regions such as Fort Munro, has also been approved while a special medical service has been initiated for the people of the Baloch tribe.

Work on the provision of Insaaf Health Cards to 198,000 families has also commenced. These cards will enable citizens to avail free-of-cost medical facilities. A strategy for the establishment of a 200-bed hospital is also being devised. Meanwhile, rural health centres in Shadan Lund, Wahwa and Barthi are also being upgraded; dispensaries, gynaecology departments and provision of medicines are also being ensured. Further, the Wahwa Rural Health Centre will be made into a model hospital with a total of 60 beds. Architects have been hired to formulate new designs for health facilities in order to increase the capacity of beds. Similarly, the District Sadar Hospital Taunsa is being upgraded from 100 beds to 190 beds. Around Rs250 million have been allocated for procuring a CT scan machine at THQ Hospital Taunsa while a separate six unit dialysis ward will also be established.

Civil Hospital Sakhi Sarwar has been upgraded to the status of a rural health centre. In addition to this, all RHCs and hospitals in Fazla Kach, Bairut Mandwani, Lakha and Kharar Buzdar have been directed to remain functional for 24 hours, seven days a week. Mobile veterinary dispensary units have also been provided in tribal areas.

For the expansion of Dera Ghazi Khan Teaching Hospital, Rs620 million have been provided to increase the facility’s capacity to 369 beds. Various wards such as cardiology, nephrology, dermatology and gynaecology will also be set up in the new building.

Further, arrangements for the construction of shelter homes, with a capacity of 200 people, are also under way. A network of roads is also being laid out in order to provide better transportation facilities; Rs3 billion have been approved for the construction of Muzaffargarh Dera Road.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority have been assigned the responsibility of beautifying Manika Canal and constructing green belts at all entry and exit points in the city. Summaries have also been prepared for the establishment of the Solid Waste Management Company and the Water and Sanitation Agency to solve cleanliness and sewerage issues; Rs260 million have been allocated for this purpose.

In addition, Rs500 million have been approved for the restoration of roads, street lights, tough tiles and sewerage in public parks such as Jinnah Family Park, Ghazi Park and Kamal Park. The Public Health Engineering Department has been given the responsibility of restoring 75 water supply schemes while the Fort Munro Development Authority will be expanded to all tribal areas.

In order to alleviate poverty from the region, the Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Programme worth Rs640 million has been launched. A graveyard stretching 190 canals will also be established at a cost of Rs190 million while the same has been allocated for a model cattle market. Rescue stations will be established in Fazla Kach and Barthi while 13 dams will be installed to protect the district from flood water. Moreover, drilling machines have been approved for the provision of clean drinking water. The people of Taunsa will also be given interest-free loans worth Rs50,000 while solar panels will also be ensured.

On the directions of the CM, Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Tahir Khurshid has mobilised teams in the field. After a complete survey and assessment, summaries have also been sent for approval to the provincial government.

The summaries of 20 initiatives have been approved while the summaries of 58 have been sent to provincial secretaries for further proceedings. Planning and Development Director Waseem Akhtar Jatoi said that he is contact with all officials concerned in order to keep a check on recent schemes, their assessment and their records.