LARKANA, July 21: The Sindh High Court, Larkana circuit bench, on Monday gave a nine-day time to the Taluka Nazim, Larkana, to show progress towards improving the sanitary conditions of Larkana city.

The Taluka Nazim conceded before the court that some of the sanitary staff was working at officers’ bungalows.

On hearing this, Justice Rehmat Hussain Jafferi asked him to withdraw the staff and engage them in cleaning the city.

The Taluka Nazim and Taluka Municipal officer on Monday appeared before the court in connection with a constitutional petition filed by Advocate Qadir Bakhsh Bhatti.

Bhatti, in his petition, took the stand that the Taluka Council had failed in keeping the city clean, and added that sewage was standing on the main roads and streets as a result of which he feared the outbreak of diseases.

The petitioner accused the district Nazim and the municipal administration for its failure in discharging duties in accordance with the new local government ordinance and demanded their disqualification.

The Taluka Nazim and Taluka Municipal Officer claimed that they were trying their level best to keep the city clean with an insufficient sanitary staff.

They said that the main gutter line had caved in at two places due to being 30-year old, and added that it was being repaired at present.

They said that the question of their disqualification and unsatisfactory performance did not arise as they were putting in sincere efforts in solving people’s problems.

Advocate Habibullah Ghouri, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, told this correspondent that a rejoinder would be filed on Tuesday against “the untrue picture” painted by the Taluka Nazim before the court.

The district Nazim, Khursheed Junejo, did not appear before the court. However, a petition was fixed for the next hearing on July 30. A notice was issued to the district Nazim to appear and submit para-wise comments regarding the petition.

The additional advocate general, Mohammed Bachal Tunio, appeared on behalf of the state.

ROBBED: Two unknown motorcyclists intercepted a fertilizer dealer, Imdad Shaikh, and deprived him of Rs760,000 in cash on Monday.