October 04, 2006	Wednesday	Ramazan 10, 1427

KARACHI, Oct 3: The Sindh Cabinet on Tuesday decided to ban sale and manufacture of gutka throughout the province.

A meeting of the Sindh cabinet, held here with Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim in the chair, was informed that these hazardous things were spreading diseases.

Giving a briefing after the meeting, Dr Arbab said the Sindh government in public interest had decided to ban manufacture and sale of gutka and mainpuri throughout the province.

He said the meeting was told that prices of daily-use items have not only been controlled, but slashed by 10 per cent.

He said that substandard goods were being sold in the market and consumers were not satisfied. He said quality goods should be sold to the people.

He said that the Sindh government would purchase fire-fighting equipment and provide them to all major towns.

He said that the Sindh government would pay a compensation of Rs 0.3 million to the heirs of those firemen of the province who were martyred in earthquake in Islamabad and northern areas.

He said their heirs would be given jobs on 'martyred quota'.

He said that the cabinet had decided to post 700 doctors in various hospitals of the province, besides recruiting 1200 more doctors in hospitals of their areas.

To a question regarding stagnant rainwater in Hyderabad and Latifabad, he said he had directed the Hyderabad district nazim to improve drainage system on a priority basis.

Regarding purchase price of sugarcane, he said the purchase price of Rs67 per 40 kg was final and it would not changed.

He said he would not talk to the mills. He said now sugar mills would have to talk to the administration.

He said that the sugar mills would have to run their mills at the earliest.

Regarding new highway from Karachi, he said the road would begin from Malir and people of Thatta, Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and Mirpurkhas would be benefited from it.

He said this road would develop a vast area which was presently barren.—PPI