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NAWABSHAH, Sept 1: Development works of different district government departments have been affected due to non-release of funds by the district coordination officer.
Contractors of roads and buildings told Dawn on Friday that their payments had been blocked for two months.
They said that they were unable to continue their works.
They said that an amount of Rs15 million was not being released in the road sector.
They said that EDOs concerned had informed them that their payments would be released soon but nothing had been done.
A contractor of the district council said that the DCO was not releasing payments due to unknown reasons and their payment of Rs3.6 million was blocked.
There was an acute shortage of medicines in different rural health centres, basic health units and dispensaries for four months due to shortage of funds.
EDO (health) Dr Khaliq Mangnejo said that an amount of Rs8.4 million of non-salary component of the health department could not be released despite their requests.
He said the amount, which was revised by the district council, lapsed in June.
He said that the regular payment of the health department could not be released in July and August 2006 and only two days back some amount was released.
DCO Ahmed Bux Khokhar said that it was concerned with the EDO finance and he could not answer.
The EDO finance excused for not providing information saying that he would ask the DCO first.
When contacted again, the DCO said that he would talk to the EDO finance in the matter.
Sources said that an amount of Rs8 million of MORA scholarship and zakat funds had also lapsed due to unknown reasons.
District Nazim Faryal Talpur had directed the DCO to release payments on time but he could not.
HIJACKED: Two motorcycles were hijacked from different parts of the district on Friday.
Some unidentified armed men snatched a motorcycle from Javed Sanjrani near the Sui gas stop and drove away.
In another incident, new motorbike of Rahim Kaloi was snatched by unidentified armed men near the Kaloi bus stop.
