CHITRAL: The future of about 200 employees of the land settlement department hangs in balance as a summary moved by the board of revenue seeking their regularisation is yet to be approved by the chief minister.

Sources told Dawn on Monday that the land settlement process had been completed in Lower Chitral district, and the settled land records were being taken over by the district administration.

The land settlement had started in 2001 in Chitral, for which 195 employees were hired in different capacities, but their future hanged in balance after the completion of the land settlement process despite having served the department for terms ranging from 10 to 19 years.

The sources said the stipulated time for completion of the land settlement project had been extended by one year in June 2019, and so had the services of the staff attached with it.

They said the district administration had no staff with know-how of land settlement dealings for which one had to undergo training in the land revenue school and clear the relevant examination.

The sources said the incumbent staff of the land settlement department possessed the requisite qualification and experience, and thus their stay was inevitable to deal with the land settlement records with the district administration.

When contacted, Lower Chitral deputy commissioner Naveed Ahmed told Dawn that the district administration was seeking to take over the land records as the process of settlement had been completed.

However, he said the employees of the land settlement department won’t lose their jobs as they might be adjusted in the new setup.

Meanwhile, Lower Chitral deputy commissioner Naveed Ahmed on Monday appealed to people to avoid disseminating unfounded news on social media regarding coronavirus.

In a message uploaded to his official social media page, the DC urged people to desist from spreading false news.

Earlier, panic gripped people as the news of a Chinese national, suspected of coronavirus having been admitted to hospital, went viral on social media.

However, the people took a sigh of relief when district health officer Dr Mujeebur Rahman said the Chinese national, working on a hydropower project, was suffering from stomach-ache and was rushed to the tehsil headquarters hospital, Drosh, in the morning where he was recovering fast.

Later, deputy commissioner Naveed Ahmed also dashed to the hospital to take stock of the situation.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2020