January 14, 2003	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 10, 1423

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HUB, Jan 13: The provincial government has allocated Rs40 million for the drought-affected areas of Balochistan.

Sources told Dawn on Saturday that the amount, expected to be raised during the second phase, would be spent for the provision of food, water, medicines and other basic amenities in the drought-hit areas.

They said that at least six districts of the province including Khuzdar, Awaran, Lasbela, Chaghai were hit by severe drought and the areas of Aranji and Saroona of Khuzdar district were the most affected.

Lasbela district Nazim Jam Kamal Khan told this reporter that nearly 65 per cent of the district was without potable water.

He said that the entire area of Dureji Tehsil, a vast area of Uthal Tehsil, the entire Lyari and Kanraj Tehsils were also facing severe drought. “Only some small areas of Hub and Bela Tehsils are getting water either from the supply schemes or from the under ground reserves,” he added.

A worker of an NGO, Prof. Naila Qaderi, had said that the nearly 40 people had died in Aranji and Saroona areas of Khuzdar district during the last five weeks owing to the long dry spell in the region for more than five years.

MEGA PROJECTS: District Lasbela Nazim Jam Kamal Khan has said that the mega projects of Hub town worth over Rs200 million would be completed in a couple of months.

He said it while briefing the newsmen regarding his visit to Quetta where he led a delegation comprising local bodies’ representatives, district and Tehsil administration officers and met Governor Justice Amirul Mulk Mengal, Chief Minister Jam Mohammed Yousuf, local bodies’ minister, secretaries and concerned officers.

He said almost 90 per cent construction work of Civic Centre Hub has been completed and the rest is expected to be completed in late January. “This would help the district and provincial governments to save Rs0.4 million per month to be spent as rent for the department set up in private buildings”, he added.

“The remaining construction work of Jam Ghulam Qadir Stadium will resume soon and the outlet of the sewerage system of the town will be completed in a couple of months”, he added.

The district Nazim said though the construction work on these projects were stopped on the directives of the Regional Accountability Bureau over corruption and mis-management charges. But on the insistence of the district Lasbela Administration and the persuasion of governor the RAB management agreed to allow the resumption of remaining work on the said projects.

He said he had requested the CM to enlist the district Lasbela among the drought hit areas of the province as 65 per cent land of the district were deprived of the under-ground drinking water.

“Dureji, Lyari, Kanraj, Upper Bela, some parts of Uthal and Hub Tehsil were the most affected areas”, he added.

Jam Kamal said the delegation had meetings with Inspector General Police of Balochistan and discussed the situation of entire district particularly of Hub and added that the IG has assured of full cooperation and assistance to the district government to bring a peaceful environment in the district.