April 3, 2002	Wednesday	Muharram 19,1423

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BADIN, April 2: At least a 100 patients, mostly children, were admitted to various hospitals in the town during the last 24 hours. They were suffering from various diseases caused by contaminated water and food.

Doctors said that the majority of them were suffering from diarrhoea and food poisoning.

On being contacted, Dr. Nusrat Hussain Khwaja said that as many as 75 children had been brought from various union councils and localities of the town for treatment. He said the condition of none was serious and most had been discharged after medication.

Dr. Abdul Salam Khaskheli said that children easily fall prey to water-related diseases due to drinking polluted water and lack of proper hygiene.

RESOLUTION PASSED: The district council, Badin, on Tuesday at an emergency meeting passed a resolution demanding the immediate transfer of the district coordination officer (DCO), Badin, Mohsin Qureshi, outside the province of Sindh.

Convener, Mirza Sohail Akbar presided over the session which was attended by 40 members instead of 67. Of these, four opposed the resolution.

The members accused the DCO of creating hurdles in the working of the district government saying that he right from day one appeared unwilling to work with the district council members.

They said that the DCO also tried to create differences between the Taluka, District and UC Nazims.

Holding the DCO responsible for non-utilization of funds they alleged that he had been uncooperative so far.

Most of the members wore black arm bands in the session.

M. Essa Mallah, Abdul Karim Channa, and Khalil Bhurgari warned that if the DCO was not transferred they would launch a campaign against him.

The members of the Awami Ittehad boycotted the session.

However, Sain Bux Jamali, Zahid Cheema, and Ms Olga of the Awami Ittehad opposed the resolution against the DCO.

They said that the DCO was a man of principal as he never allowed the Awam Dost Panel Nazims to embezzle development funds.

The opposition members accused the district Nazim of delaying disbursement of funds due to unnecessary tussles over minor issues like vehicles, office accommodation, etc.

They said that had the DCO not been checking the distribution of funds the Awam Dost Nazims would have transferred all schemes to their favourites.

They insisted that the DCO be asked to attend the council meeting so as to state the reason behind the differences between him and Awam Dost members.

The council also passed another resolution for ensuring that water was supplied to the district on a priority basis.

The convenor told newsmen that the DCO had misused his position and degraded the members. Meanwhile, the district Nazim, Kamal Khan Chang, while talking to journalists on the phone said that he would resume work on Wednesday (i.e. today).