BAHAWALPUR: A local firm has allegedly defrauded the health department of almost Rs10 million by supplying 18 ‘substandard’ ultrasound machines meant for the rural health centres in the district.

It is learnt that the health authorities advertised for the supply of 18 US made ultrasound machines and a firm supplied the equipment of Chinese company by affixing the tag of a US company. A Chinese machine costs Rs300,000 whereas the one procured from the US costs about Rs765,000.

After the consignment was received by the health department, it was pointed out that the machines were made in China and substandard.

Deputy Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia took serious notice of the supply of substandard machines to the health department. He blacklisted the company after cancellation of the tenders and constituted a five-member committee to probe the matter. The committee headed by DO Planning Mehboob Elahi has been asked to submit a report at the earliest.

ARMS DISPLAY: The Musafirkhana police claim to have arrested a man who made a brazen display of arms on social media.

PRO Umar Saleem said DPO Faisal Kamran took notice of the video which went viral on social media and police arrested the suspect, Muzamil. Police sent the suspect behind the bars.

This is the second such incident of display of arms and uploading the videos on social media.

PROTEST: Scores of farmers on Sunday protested at Pull Jageerwali near Channigoth about 70 kilometres from here against the closure of perennial canals.

The protesters said the irrigation department had announced closure of the perennial canals to restore water under ‘warabandi’. They said the irrigation department was bound to provide water in the perennial canals from April 15 to Oct 15 for their crops. They expressed apprehension that with the closure of canals their crops of cotton, sugarcane and fodder would be adversely affected.

They also staged a sit-at at the bridge which disrupted the vehicular traffic on the road.

Officials of the irrigation department said the canals would not be closed down for warabandi but the water flow from the heads was increasing and the canals would be run with gap.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2021