| May 30, 2006 | Tuesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 2, 1427 |
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Outbreak of gastroenteritis
PR running at a loss
Flight delays
5,000-rupee notes
Dental college hardship
Oil prices
Brownouts
Water shortage
Cricket team’s itinerary
Foreign air hostesses
THIS is with reference to the advertisement supplement on “Highrise buildings” (May 20) bearing ads and information about the potential for future construction in Karachi.
I would like to suggest that before initiating any ambitious scheme, the planners should keep in mind the city’s vulnerability to tremors and consequential tsunami.
Prof (Dr) Abdul Razaque Memon, who is an ex- principal of the Dawood College of Engineering and Technology, recently published a report which claims Dawn that Karachi is vulnerable to earthquakes as it is at the meeting place of three tectonic plates: Arabian, Indian and Eurasian.
He further said that out of the fault which runs from Karachi parallel to the coastal area of Pakistan and Iran, Karachi is at a triangular node from where the other fault goes up through the entire country and descends down to India from Muzaffarabad.
A similar triangular node is in the Arabian Sea which is connected to Karachi through the third fault about 1,200 miles from the city.
Prof Memon further pointed out that stress had been released in the Northern Areas last year creating a killing tremor of more than 7 magnitude but stress over other parts close to Karachi and Quetta remains considerable in the near future.
He claimed to have researched on an early warning system based on recording electromagnetic waves released by the tremor before the jolt is felt which he submitted in the 90s to the defunct University Grants Commission (now Higher Education Commission) for funding but unfortunately remains unresponded till date.
Dr Friedman Freund, a geophysicist at San Jose State University, California, (The Economist, Dec 17, 2005) upheld the same view at a meeting of American Geophysical Union which was attended by more than 12,000 geophysicists. He explained how earthquakes generate enormous electric currents in the ground that can be detected by magnetometers at the surface, i.e., in the laboratories as well as by satellites watching the ionosphere, which can serve for early prediction of any impending tremor.
If the assessment of physicists/seismologists is correct, then the countries on the rim of the Indian Ocean should take this as forewarning and start making adequate arrangements so as to evade catastrophe if earthquake strikes again.
Being very close to the fault line, Karachi is more prone to tremors. The city is located in category third zone as declared by the Geographical Survey of Pakistan and its seashore deprived of mangrove barrier, thanks to our builders, it requires serious consideration of authorities.
Thus not only future construction activity, especially close to sea shore, should be adequately planned but effective disaster management system is also urgently required to put up with any eventuality. Further research is also essential to develop ‘early warning system’ on the pattern of project prepared by Prof Memon in the 90s.
It is qually important to educate people on how to remain calm and organised if such a situation arises.
ALTAMASH MANZOOR H. KURESHI
Karachi
GASTROENTERITIS has been raging in Faisalabad for over a week, resulting in two dozen deaths and hospitalisation of hundreds of persons. The disease spread so fast that the capacity of hospitals to take patients fell short, with the result that a large number of patients had to be treated outside the hospital premises.
The media has been reporting on the ravages wrought by the outbreak of this disease as well as carrying pictures of this horrendous situation. Unfortunately, considering the gravity of the situation, the authorities concerned have not reacted as they should have. The indifference shown by them is inexcusable.
According to a report carried by Dawn, it was on the sixth day of the outbreak that the speaker of the Punjab Assembly and the provincial health minister visited the affected areas only to inform the people about the number of patients being treated free of cost at government hospitals. They assured them that the officials responsible for the outbreak would be taken to task.
One wonders of what use to the victims of gastroenteritis and the public at large is the statement that the officials responsible for the outbreak will be taken to task.
Gastroenteritis is caused by the intake of water containing harmful pathogens. Wasa claims that water being supplied through its pipelines is safe for human consumption and that outbreak of the disease was caused by use of subsoil water obtained through privately-installed pumps.
This is notwithstanding the reports that Wasa pipelines are damaged and as they pass close to lines carrying sewage the gutter water gets mixed with water being supplied by Wasa. Besides, there are a large number of industrial units, both small and big, that discharge untreated effluent wantonly into open drains, canals and open spaces. The harmful chemicals in the effluent permeate through the soil and affect the quality of subsoil water.
Although rules and regulations exist on paper requiring the industrial units to treat the effluent before discharging it into drains and other water bodies, there is no effective mechanism to ensure that they are complied with.
In the circumstances, how can the responsibility for the outbreak of gastroenteritis, as promised by the provincial dignitaries, be fixed? If the authorities were really serious about improving matters, an urgent programme for repairing the water pipelines along with other necessary steps toward treatment of industrial waste would have been initiated.
In some societies such incidents act as a spur to concerted action on the part of authorities as well as the general public. For us these provide opportunities to make rhetorical statements only. Up to now this has sufficed for the public has come to acquire a fatalistic attitude towards the eruption of diseases and the lack of civic amenities.
Hopefully the outbreak of gastroenteritis in Faisalabad will somehow be overcome by the haphazard treatment being provided by the authorities. They will be helped in some measure by the growing resistance among victims against the disease causing pathogens. Proactive action, it seems, is not for us. Instead a mixture of cynicism and fatalism stands us in good stead.
KHALID IDREES
Islamabad
THE Pakistan Railways is running in loss, but how? Here is my experience: recently I intended to book two bags of rice flour, each weighing 50kg, at the railway station, Badah (Rohri-Dadu-Kotri section), for Karachi.
When I reached the station, I was told each bag would cost me Rs72. However, the PR officials asked me to pay additional amount of Rs25 per bag as express train charges, Rs25 per bag being guard money and Rs20 per bag as loading and unloading charges, i.e., another Rs70 per bag which was equivalent to the rail charge.
However, I took the bags back and loaded on a bus plying between Larkana and Karachi via Badah Town. I paid Rs35 only per bag, i.e., Rs70/- for the two bags.
Had the railway department not charged the extra amount, I would have transported my items through the train. Such meagre amounts can generate huge revenues for the Pakistan Railways, but the demand of extra charges (bribe) by PR staff deprives the railways of its revenue.
Further, recently I travelled in Bolan Express train from Badah to Karachi and I saw many people (about 25 per cent of the total passengers) were travelling without tickets, by bribing the railway policemen, in connivance with the train staff.
This shows that policemen, instead of providing security to people/passengers, were securing their pockets. This is the second source of loss to the Pakistan Railways.
I appeal to PR high-ups to give attention to such small but in long way major losses being borne by the Pakistan Railways through its own employees. There is a need to stamp out these black guards from this national organisation so that the same may run on the tracks of profit.
NAZIR AHMED SHAHANI
Karachi
I AM past 60 and used to be quite a frequent air traveller during my own working days. But I have a young company executive son who is a frequent air-traveller, and quite often has to travel on a couple of hours’ notice. And failing to get a seat on PIA, he is forced to travel by a private airline. And I have to live with his grumblings and the fatigues that he has to endure sitting out in the departure lounges in Karachi or Islamabad due to flight delays.
An old friend, but much senior in age, asked me the other day to come over to Karachi for a day, and booked me on the said plane. The 9.30am flight to Karachi was delayed by about 45 minutes -– the reason given was ‘the aircraft has not arrived’ — and I was quite distressed when I found my host sweating outside Jinnah International Terminal an hour beyond the arrival time.
For the return flight, I was booked on the 9.30pm flight, and knowing fully well the airline’s delay pattern, I called flight information 114 at 8pm and was told that the departure was as per schedule, another call at 8.30pm gave me the same status. I declined my host’s offer of a home dinner and reported at the departure desk promptly at 8.45pm. And only when I was handed my boarding card did the young lady say the flight was delayed by an hour.
In fact, it left Karachi around 11.40pm -– the aircraft had not arrived from wherever it had to come to operate the Karachi–Islamabad flight. I reached home at 1.30am.
I do not know when the competition (which is just around the corner) will drive out the airline, but what is the purpose of a flight inquiry anyway? Is it not meant to give out correct flight schedules?
MOHAMMAD IRSHAD
Islamabad
THE governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, with a triumphant smile, is photographed on the front page of Dawn, showing a 5,000-rupee note at a news conference (‘Rs5,000 notes issued’ , May 27).
Replying to newsmen’s queries, she came out with a strange logic. She claimed that printing of 5,000-rupee notes is neither anything to do with inflation nor does it reflect hike in the prices. She further emphasised that issuing of notes of high denomination is an international practice; however, she has failed to quote even a single country where such a practice has been adopted. She also absolved herself of any responsibilty by making it clear that the proposal was approved by the cabinet in 2004.
I agree with the correspondent that printing of notes of higher denomination is a conclusive proof that the value of the rupee is eroding fast. A country where per capita income as per the government’s own claim is $750 (mostly pocketed by the ultra rich), the economy is kept intentionally undocumented and increases in the price of basic utilities (sugar, cement, gas and electricity) are common, the issuance of big notes is not only reflective of higher inflation.
Moreover, it will help the corrupt keep ill-gotten money without resorting to banks.
RAFIQUE AHMED SIDDIQUI
Karachi
THIS has reference to the letter ‘Dental college hardships’ (May 24) by ‘an affected father’ of a final year BDS student at the Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi. The focus of his complaint is the Rs100,000 demanded by the college as clinical surcharge.
First, we wish to express our regrets and concern for the extra burden being placed on parents of students on the clinical side. This has been forced on us due to the unforeseen rate of inflation and other conditions beyond our control. A large part of the cost is absorbed by the college and only a portion is transferred to the student. The statement given by the parent that “this is in addition to Rs700,000 which has been paid since July last year, although he still has a full year to graduate” is vehemently refuted by us.
The batch XI, which will be graduating next year, were required to pay Rs150,000 tuition fee per annum. Together with admission fee etc., the total for local students amounts to Rs695,000 for a full four-year BDS course. If the ‘affected father’ has paid any amount in excess of the above, it will be refunded to him.
The amount for which a BDS graduate is being produced by this college is less than half of that spent by the government in public sector colleges. The fee charged by the government for self-financing seats is nearly double the amount charged by us.
The Fatima Jinnah Dental College is a pioneer and exclusive college for dentistry in the private sector since 1992. As of now, there are seven dental colleges in Karachi alone and two more are planed for this year. There is great shortage of faculty in both the basic medical sciences and clinical/dental subjects. This college has the unique distinction of having 36 post-graduate faculty on its roll.
These include three PhDs, five MPhils and six FCPSs with a host of overseas post-graduates with major degrees. The college undertakes post-graduate programme of CPSP with eight FCPS part-II trainees attached to its own departments. We sponsor our own graduates for acquiring post-graduation at medical universities and post-graduate centres of Sindh and Punjab.
At the moment three PhDs, five MPhils and over 20 post-graduates are in the pipeline sponsored by this college. The faculty of this college has produced over 80 research papers in accredited medical journals of Pakistan and overseas.
The college has produced remarkable results at all professional BDS examinations of the University of Karachi. They have done well in post-graduate programme overseas. A number of them have been selected in the Pakistan armed forces medical corps and have cleared the public service commission examinations.
The difficulties and financial crunch due to reasons given above did not cause the college administration to lower the standard of its education. In contrast, during the last couple of years a record amount of money was spent for retaining highly qualified and experienced faculty.
DR S. BAQAR ASKARY
Chief Executive, Fatima Jinnah Dental College,
Karachi
THE present system of regulating oil prices on a fortnightly basis was introduced in the post-October 1999 era and has affected the entire nation, excluding the oil companies and a couple of bureaucrats in the ministry of petroleum.
The petroleum ministry ‘babus’ have reportedly learnt to exert pressure on NAB not to file this case. This is regrettable. I agree with one ‘concerned’ from Canada (May 19) who has held the multinationals responsible.
Allow me to add to the list the previous head of the petroleum ministry, who is now heading the CBR. It was during his tenure that this system was introduced. It is time that the heads of those who have been squeezing the last drop from the blood of this hapless nation be rolled. If we can’t catch these multinationals for the fear of losing foreign investment, at least their local sympathisers must be taken to task. This will be a great service to this nation and would deter similar incidents in the future.
HAFEEZ AKHTAR
Lahore
BROWNOUTS have become common these days with power utility officials claiming tripping of this grid station and non-energisation of that power circuit. People have been complaining about damage to all sorts of electrical appliances.
But what happens to power meters at low voltages and low frequency power supply. Do they run faster? Will someone clarify?
Even if they do not run faster, they must record consumption when there is none. I mean when you do not have enough power to light up even low-powered consuming fluorescent tubelights, why should a consumer pay for something that does more harm than good? What about the effect of hundreds of thousands of rotating power metres during hours and hours of brownouts? Why should consumers suffer financially when power utilities do not even own up to the damage wreaked by low voltage or spikes in power supply?
GHOUSE MOHIUDDIN
Karachi
THIS is a continuation of the appeal published in your paper (May 16) regarding the water shortage on D.D Chaudhry Road in Baghdadi (Lyari), Karachi since 2002 due to low pressure supply or other reasons best known to the KWSB.
Now the K-III project has been engineered and there is much progress on the development of water system (supplement, May 22) but cleaning drinking water is still a dream for the 3,000 residents of D.D. Chaudhry Road.
We would once again request the authorities of the water board, city government and other relevant government functionaries to adopt remedial measures to solve this chronic issue.
M.I. BHUTTO
Karachi
IT is a usual practice for sports teams to travel by their national carriers. Unfortunately, the Pakistan cricket team decided to travel to London by Etihad which goes against the national spirit.
The PCB must not forget that PIA was in the forefront to patronise cricket in Pakistan when the board did not have sufficient funds to even meet its travelling expenses.
Most famous cricketers starting from Hanif Mohammad to Wasim Akram were on PIA payrolls. Perhaps the present the PCB management is unaware of the key role played by PIA for advancement of sports, in general, and squash and cricket, in particular. Without the support of PIA, the PCB would not even have a selection committee.
It is time the PCB adopted a more nationalistic outlook and remember that today it is in a sound financial position because of the role played by men like Fazal Mehmood, Kardar, Majid Khan, Hanif, Mushtaq, Imran and Miandad. It needs to spend its hard-earned money judiciously on development of cricket. The World Cup is due to take place next summer.
H. KHAN
Otley Leeds, UK
THE induction of 19 foreign air hostesses by PIA (Dawn, May 27) for overcoming the language barrier is a unique example; one more feather in the cap.
I think that instead of providing language training to their officers, other government organisations and departments that transact with different countries, such as the ministry of foreign affairs, should also follow the example of PIA at the cost of the public exchequer.
MANSOORUL HAQ SOLANGI
Karachi
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