Citizens express grievances during public hearings

Elected representatives hold open meetings across Sindh

HYDERABAD: A taluka hospital in Tando Allahyar district, which was constructed and handed over to the health department several years ago, is still not functional to date. "The doctors, nurses and other staff have not been appointed yet to run the hospital," complained Dr Arbab Mastoi at a public hearing conducted by provincial minister Jam Akramullah Dharejo on Saturday.

Dr Mastoi was among the few lucky citizens who were able to register a complaint as the hearing concluded long before the scheduled time. Heading out, attendees groused that the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) workers, who did not even speak up, had been given the front seats.

Elected representatives held public meetings across the province, hearing complaints about the issues troubling residents, such as ghost schools, shortage of teachers, health facilities, drinking water, sewage and garbage disposal

Noor Ahmed Thebo, who was allegedly injured in an assault by drug peddlers, complained to Dharejo that narcotics, mainpuri, and gutka are being sold in the district with the connivance of the local police. Dharejo summed up the hearing by giving verbal directions to the relevant officials to address the grievances.

At the public hearing in Sajawal district, MNA Syed Ayaz Shah Sherazi pointed out the unavailability of public health facilities. "Most of the hospitals and health units in Sajawal are under the management of an NGO and complaints against that NGO are increasing rapidly," said Sherazi, claiming that the medicines that used to be available for free before the NGO took over are no longer accessible to the masses.

Separately, the citizens of Tharparkar apprised provincial minister Mir Taimur Talpur about their grievances regarding the companies working in the Thar coal projects at an open court in Islamkot taluka.

Meanwhile, provincial minister Ghulam Murtaza Baloch suspended officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority and Sindh irrigation department at a hearing in Sanghar district after citizens claimed that the irrigation staff demanded bribes to release water and an identical culture existed in the district's revenue offices. A complainant drew the minister's attention towards the dilapidated condition of the district's sports complex and alleged that the funds issued for repair and maintenance are being embezzled by the officials.

In Dadu, a disabled person attempted to set himself on fire at the hearing chaired by provincial minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah. Though people prevented him from lighting the fire, he complained that despite trying for several years, he had unable to get a job on the disabled quota.

A social activist, Irfan Ahmed Kalhoro, mentioned that around 125,000 children in Dadu are involved in child labour but the Sindh labour department had turned a blind eye to the issue.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2020.