LARKANA, April 17: The work-charge employees of the Public Health Engineering Division 1 demanded the government to pay their salaries for the last 24 months.

The orders of the district Nazim and district coordination officer (DCO) for the early payment of work-charge employees landed on the deaf ears of the chief engineer, Public Health, said Khadim Hussain Chandio, operator, drainage system, Behram.

On being contacted, Mujahid Lashari, Niaz, Imtiaz Hussain Lashari, Ali Dost, Qamaruddin, Manzoor Ali, and other work-charge employees pointed towards irregularities in dispensing salaries as they alleged that a major portion of it was embezzled by the sub-divisional officers concerned.

They unfolded that around 60 out of 100 work-charge employees have been paid salaries for 16 months after the hands of the SDOs concerned were greased, they alleged.

They alleged that salaries were paid even to those who were not present on duty.

The DCO, Larkana, M. Hashim Leghari, supporting the plea of making payment to the work-charge employees, wrote to the director, General Public Health, Hyderabad, for releasing the amount as soon as possible and resolving the issue as the district Nazim had already stood for clearing dues.

HOUSES GUTTED: At least a dozen houses were gutted in a fire as a result of a short circuit in the Meenho Leghari village, near Shahdadkot, on Wednesday.