KARAK: The provincial government and the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) will jointly establish a trauma centre in the district headquarters hospital, Karak, soon.

Sources in the hospital told Dawn on Saturday the hospital administration had specified a separate ward for the trauma centre. They said the project would cost Rs18 million.

The sources claimed that the OGDCL had taken the responsibility of providing equipment for the centre, while the provincial government would provide specialised staff.

When contacted, regional coordinator of OGDCL Mushfiq Hameed Paracha, told Dawn that the equipment for the trauma centre would be provided within two weeks.

He added the company was committed to providing basic health facilities to the people of Karak. He asked the people to cooperate with the company to put the district on the track of development.

WATER SCHEMES DRY UP: Over 170 water supply schemes have dried up or turned brackish across the district.

This was disclosed by sources in the public health engineering department on Saturday.

They said 44 water supply schemes in Karak tehsil, 70 in Banda Daud Shah and 60 in Takht-i-Nusrati had become useless for beneficiaries. But, they said the surplus staff of the unserviceable water schemes was taking salaries at home. They demanded that such staff be absorbed in other departments.

The sources said water shortage problem was becoming serious as underground water table was going down. They said the department lacked funds to plan and develop new water reservoirs in the district.

An official said Karak city required 300,000 gallons of water daily but the available water supply was only 130,000 gallons.

He said the elected leadership should take concrete steps for resolution of the problem.

CORPS COMMANDER VISITS NATIVE TOWN: Corps Commander Peshawar Lt-Gen Mazhar Shaheen Mahmood visited his native Dhand Eidalkhel village on Saturday and announced cash prizes and laptops for the top students of the area’s high school.

He heard the problems of people at his residence and announced blacktopping of road from Sabirabad to his native town. He also announced small dam in the area to resolve water shortage problem of locals. He also approved a health centre in the hilly area.

Mr Mahmood directed to restore the disconnected power supply to the area.

The corps commander discussed gas issue with lawmaker Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel, who was present on the occasion, and called a meeting in Peshawar on Feb 28.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2019