HYDERABAD: Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Universities and Boards Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, provincial ministers Saeed Ghani, Hari Ram Kishori Lal and Ghulam Murtaza Baloch listened to peoples’ problems at open katchehries in Hyderabad, Thatta and Badin being held on the directives of Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday.

Khuhro said at a news conference at circuit house in Hyderabad after the katchehry that the federal government must give subsidy on all essential commodities to curb rising prices.

He said that deputy commissioners should hold open katchehries once a week to find out peoples’ issues and resolve them through timely action.

He expressed concern over wilful absence of district officers and elected local government representatives from the katchehry and said if they did not show up at such meetings, it would be difficult for the government to resolve peoples’ problems.

Similar katchehries were held in Matiari and Jamshoro as well.

THATTA: Sindh Minister for Education Saeed Ghani presided over an open katchehry at Makli Gymkhana along with adviser to chief minister Qasim Naveed Qamar and noted that 80 per cent of officials were absent.

The minister asked Deputy Commissioner Usman Tanveer to make a list of the absentees for appropriate action and ordered suspension of assistant director of labour department Abdul Samad Soomro.

Earlier, former MNA Dr Wahid Soomro said at the katchehry that people of coastal districts were concerned over proposed construction of Sindh barrage. Thatta, Sujawal and Tando Mohammad Khan would be ruined if the project went ahead, he said.

He called for establishment of campuses of Mehran and LUMHS universities in Thatta and said that during last government of PPP plots had been allotted for the purpose but unfortunately the projects did not materialise.

Sindh Mallah Forum chairman Dada Adam Gandhro complained that legitimate rights of fisherfolk communities were not being restored as influential persons had occupied most of the sources of their livelihood.

Contamination of water by industrial waste released into Keenjhar Lake and lack of de-weeding and desilting of canals had shrunk daily catch and worsened quality of sweet water, he said.

Social workers told the minister that 17 villages in Kohistan area were facing acute water shortage in the absence of much-needed water supply schemes and lack of maintenance of the existing ones.

BADIN: Provincial ministers Hari Ram Kishori Lal and Ghulam Murtaza Baloch listened to peoples’ problems at an open katchehry held at circuit house in the presence of officers concerned.

People mostly complained against officials of local government institutions, water supply, cleanliness and hospitals and revenue officials. Only one complaint was made against police and drug dens being run in villages.

A grower who identified himself as Ali Sher complained against irrigation officials and warned he would immolate himself in front of deputy commissioner’s office on Monday if his grievances were not redressed.

People expressed serious concerns over closed schools and shortage of teachers on which the ministers directed EDO of education to submit a detailed report.

Badin’s major problems, including shortage of irrigation water in the district’s waterways, could not be taken up at the katchehry in front of ministers as most of the growers were unaware of the event and majority of participants were government servants and workers of the ruling party.

The ministers directed the deputy commissioner to submit a report against absentee officials and recommend action against them.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2020