DADU: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah finally took notice of worsening civic problems in his own hometown Sehwan on Thursday in the wake of a consistent campaign on social media by the townspeople to attract his attention.

Provincial secretary of Public Health Engineering Department, PPP MNA Sikandar Ali Rahpoto and officers of various departments arrived in Sehwan and set up a camp to seek proposals from general public on how to resolve all issues.

The town, which falls within constituency of Syed Murad Ali Shah and is considered a stronghold of Pakistan Peoples Party, faces numerous problems, major among them acute shortage of drinking water, faulty drainage system and potholed roads.

Recently, citizens and social workers launched a consistent drive on social media besides holding protests on roads about the worsening state of affairs in the chief minister’s hometown to attract attention of authorities concerned.

The campaign finally achieved its target on Thursday when the chief minister took its notice and sent the officers concerned and elected representatives to the town to hold meetings with people and resolve their problems.

In a meeting with PHED secretary, PPP district president raised objections over the town’s existing drainage system and suggested constructing underground drainage from Dhamal Chowk to Dadeji bridge at Khosa Mohalla.

MNA Rahpoto warned local officer of PHED Jamshoro to improve the drainage and water supply schemes and ensure supply of drinking water to all parts of the town. If they failed punitive action would be recommended against them, he said.

The secretary said that proposals would be submitted to the chief minister for improving the drainage and water supply systems in the town and launch new schemes.

Officials of various departments like works and services, buildings, highways, roads, irrigation, health, education and district administration of Jamshoro also visited different parts of the town to learn about the problems and address them.

Sindh United Party’s secretary general Roshan Ali Buriro said that PPP rulers were only interested in minting money, they had no interest in developing the town. Heaps of garbage were lying about the town, which might cause diseases among devotees of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar who frequented the town from different parts of the country and abroad, he said.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2021