PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday ordered immediate suspension of the officials of communication and works department over substandard construction of the new building of Doaba Hospital in Hangu district.

He also directed the quarters concerned to remove all the deficiencies in the hospital building within one month and hand over the building to health department, said a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The chief minister chaired a high level meeting to review progress made so far on the developmental projects in southern districts. The MPAs and ministers from southern districts, administrative secretaries of provincial departments and heads of relevant district and divisional administrations attended the meeting.

The meeting was briefed on various schemes in the entire region. The lawmakers from southern districts identified issues faced by the residents of their respective constituencies.

Mr Khan decided to hold monthly meetings of all the regions of the province on regular basis. The meeting would be attended by the relevant MPAs, heads of administrative departments, district and divisional administrations, police and other federal and provincial departments.

He said that all deputy commissioners would also hold monthly meetings with the provincial assembly members concerned and officials of line departments at district level.

The chief minister directed the authorities of public health engineering department to carry out surveys and feasibility studies for launching projects to provide clean drinking water to the people of southern districts. Shortage of clean drinking water is a big issue in several areas of southern districts.

The meeting was informed that three different projects worth Rs40 million were approved for upgradation of the existing gas supply lines to address the issue of low gas pressure in Kohat district whereas a project worth Rs787 million was approved to provide natural gas to the remaining areas of the district.

Regarding the issues in health sector, he directed the divisional commissioners for submitting a detailed report of the required healthcare staff in public sector hospitals in their respective divisions.

The chief minister asked the authorities of elementary and secondary education department to devise a comprehensive plan for reconstruction of old buildings of schools and ensure provision of missing facilities to all the schools in southern districts.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2020