Shah directs authorities to expedite relief work

Sindh govt promises to establish six mobile medical units in Tharparkar within 15 days

KARACHI: Responding to the media reports on the dismal state of Tharparkar, the Sindh government directed all relevant organisations and local administrations to expedite relief activities for the drought-stricken inhabitants of the district.

Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah presided over a meeting to review the relief activities at Tharparkar held at the CM House on Friday.  He directed the local administration of Tharparkar to distribute 25,000 blankets, 30,000 mosquito nets and 2,000 date packets among the pregnant and lactating women within three days. The items have been provided to the administration by the Sindh government. Moreover, he directed the provincial health management to increase the number of maternity centres, doctors and nutrition stabilisation centres, and to launch mobile medical facilities within 10 to 15 days.

While briefing the meeting, Health Secretary Iqbal Durani said that in addition to the 68 doctors who are already working in the district, four specialist doctors and two medical officers were being dispatched to Tharparkar on Friday. He said that two more nutrition stabilisation centres - one each at Diplo and Chachro - are being established this month in addition to the one functional in Mithi.

Similarly, six mobile medical units will start operating within 15 days. Durani said that the number of maternity centres has been increased to 42 as 15 more midwives have been dispatched to different areas of the district.

Provincial food secretary Saeed Ahmed Awan briefed the meeting about wheat distribution among the drought-affected families. He said that around 256,374 bags have been given to the victims so far.

Speaker dissolves committee

The speaker of the Sindh Assembly de-notified the parliamentary committee on Thar that was supposed to investigate the crisis and suggest measures to take so such a situation can be avoided in the future. The committee comprising of four members - Ameer Hyder Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Saeed Nizamani of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, Muttahida Qaumi Movement's Zafar Kamali and Mahesh Malani of the Pakistan Peolpes Party, was formed to comply with a resolution adopted unanimously by the assembly on November 11. Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that the committee was abolished on the recommendations of the Sindh government. "We were planning a visit Thar but the speaker devolved the committee," said Nizamani, adding that government was afraid of what the opposition members would exposed about what was really going on in Thar. The PPP minister could not be reached despite several attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2014.