LARKANA: The Larkana circuit bench of the Sindh High Court has ordered Larkana commissioner to take action, in accordance with law, against the persons involved in making illegal cuts in canals.

The division bench comprising Justices Naimatullah Phulpoto and Khadim Hussain Tunio passed the order the other day while hearing identical petitions about the government’s handling of unprecedented downpours and post-rain situation in the province.

The bench said that at present the most crucial issue for the rain-hit people was provision of food, tents and medicines.

Special secretary of health Mohammad Nawaz Sohu submitted in court a detailed report on the healthcare services provided to internally displaced persons (IDPs) by the department but the petitioners and their lawyers disputed the report and said that adequate facilities had not been provided to IDPs. The facts and figures presented by the secretary did not match the material on ground, said the court.

The deputy commissioners of Larkana division said in their reports that food was being provided to IDPs, tent cities had been established and special anti-malarial fumigation had been started.

The district and sessions judges of Larkana and Dadu had expressed dissatisfaction in their reports on the steps taken by the district administration for the IDPs and pointed out acute shortage of tents, food and medicines for the rain-hit people. “It is duty of this court to safeguard fundamental rights of the citizens,” said the order.

The court noted that Larkana divisional administration had failed to take care of basic needs of rain-hit people like provision of food, tents and health facilities.

It asked all the DCs of the division to ensure food, tents and health facilities were provided to the IDPs.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction over the report filed by general manager (maintenance) of the National Highway Autho­rity (NHA) and directed the authority’s chairman to make his best efforts to get damaged portions of Indus Highway repaired at the earliest, particularly from Nasirabad to Kakar and Dadu and asked him to appear in the court on next date of hearing on Oct 5.

The court directed Dadu DC to appear in the court on Oct 5 along with a progress report on Khairpur Nathan Shah and Mehar.

Advocates Inayatullah G. Morio, Rafiq Ahmed K. Abro, Safraz Khan Jatoi, Ali Raza Pathan, Safdar Ali Ghuri, Mohammad Afzal Jagirani represented the petitioners and Abdul Ghafoor Bhurgri, additional advocate general, and Oshaq Ali Sangi, assistant advocate general, defended the government. Mohammad Nawaz Sohu, special secretary health; district health officers of Larkana division, CMCH Medical Superintendent Dr Gulzar Tunio, officials of irrigation, public health engineering etc also appeared before the court.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2022