HYDERABAD, May 20: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MPA Abdur Rehman Rajput has said that the Sindh health department has directed its functionaries not to issue press statements or hold briefings on the release of polluted water of the Manchhar Lake into the Indus River.

He alleged that the Sindh government’s indifference had caused outbreak of a diseases in the province and created panic among people.

He was speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Thursday.

The MMA legislator said the situation had created misgivings in the minds of people who had been deprived of instructions from the health department with regard to preventive measures.

He said during the assembly session, he had drawn the attention of Speaker Muzaffar Hussain Shah to the issue and he had admitted that it was an important matter.

He said it was necessary that officials of the health and irrigation department should give a briefing to elected representatives of the people.

The MPA said senior Sindh minister Sardar Ahmed had also realized consequences of the water release and said briefing in the assembly was also necessary.

He said the assembly session was adjourned sine die.

Mr Rajput said he again met the speaker and Sardar Sahib and the latter said he would arrange the briefing.

He called upon the government to ensure that the public representatives and the press were given daily briefing on the issue.

The MMA leader paid compliments to the press for keeping the people informed about the correct situation.

Mr Rajput said the people of Hyderabad, Qasimabad and Latifabad had been protesting for the last two and three years about the acute shortage of drinking water but HDA officials had failed to resolve their problem.

He said tens of millions of rupees allocated for water storage had gone down the drain.

He said the bureaucrats were not prepared to take the elected representative of the people into confidence on the issue.