04 January 2004	Sunday	11 Ziqa'ad 1424

KARACHI, Jan 3: A fire broke out on the sixth floor of the new Sindh Secretariat building early on Saturday. At least five offices of the health department were gutted as a consequence. Between 3,000 and 4,000 files were destroyed.

Health department officials claim that the fire was accidental. However, Sindh chief secretary and adviser to the chief minister on health have ordered inquiry into the incident.

Fire destroys 4,000 files in health dept offices

KARACHI, Jan 3: Between 3,000 and 4,000 files were lost in a fire which broke out on the sixth floor of the new Sindh Secretariat building in the early hours of Saturday. Several offices were gutted in the fire.

The files destroyed belonged to the department's budget, women medical officers, commission-I officers and specialist doctors sections. The annual confidential reports of the staff were among the files which were lost.

However, some files on which disciplinary actions were pending remained safe, a section officer told Dawn. He said the files had been stored away in a separate cabinet.

The computers, printers and typewriters were also damaged, he said. The fire which was noticed by residents of the area at about 4am was extinguished by 7am.

S.M. Tayab, a deputy secretary in the health department, was of the view that the fire was accidental. "No proof of wrongdoing has come to the fore so far," he said.

Mr Tayab said the files lost mostly pertained to the department's officials of grade 17 or below. "The files dealing with professors, assistant professors and other senior officials is safe."

Responding to a question, he said the department would try to obtain duplicate copies of files that had been destroyed. "Copies of these files are in the director general's office, as well as that of the accountant general."

Mr Tayab added that a big portion of the record was computerized. "This portion is also safe." Short circuit was the main reason.

He added that the health secretary had directed all officials to collect the files that were still safe. "All of us were directed by him to work till late in the day today."

Mr Tayab added that the department's officials would be reporting for duty on Sunday as well. "And on Monday we will start collecting copies of the files from the various departments."

In the meantime Noman Saigal, the adviser to the chief minister on health, has asked the health secretary to launch an inquiry into the incident. The aim of the inquiry is to exclude wrongdoing or mischief.

He has asked the health secretary to file a report within the next three days.

COMMITTEE FORMED: Sindh Chief Secretary, Dr Mutawakkil Kazi, on Saturday asked administrative secretaries and concerned officers to ensure prevention measures within the government premises so that any untoward situation, like fire, may not damage human life and property, adds PPI.

He was expressing his concern at the incident in which fire broke out on the 6th Floor of the New Sindh Secretariat No 1. At least five rooms of the health department were gutted in the incident.

Dr Kazi, accompanied by the Secretary (GA&C), Mumtaz-ur-Rehman, visited the affected floor. He later issued orders for departmental inquiry.

He formed an inquiry committee, comprising Additional Secretary Dr Iqbal Daudpoto, Superintendent Engineer Arab Ahmed Shaikh, Deputy Secretary (Budget & Accounts) Syed Asif Hyder Shah and Dr Jamil Mughal, a section officer.

According to a notification issued to this effect the committee would inquiry into the circumstances under which the fire broke out and ascertain the extent of damages. It would also recommend steps to avoid recurrence of such incidents.

The committee will also be looking into lapses on the part of security personnel, if any. It will also try to determine why the concerned officials were not informed promptly of the incident.

The committee has been given seven days to submit a report.