HYDERABAD, July 4: Expressing concern over the spread of hepatitis and stomach diseases in the Hyderabad rural taluka, District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil on Tuesday formed a five-member committee to submit proposals within eight days filtered water schemes in the area.

The nazim told a meeting that the district government had conducted screening which revealed that a large number of people were suffering from hepatitis due to consumption of contaminated water.

DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, water technologist Dr Ahsan Siddiqui, EDO (health) Dr Nazar Mohammad Junejo, HDA director-general Tahir Ahmed, Hyderabad (rural) TMO Faqir Shakir, director (public health) Dr Masood Ahmed and nazims of UCs were present on the occasion.

The committee will be headed by the water technologist, UC nazim Mian Abdullah and three officials of the district government. Dr Ahsan Siddiqui said that it was essential to dig at least a 150-foot-deep hole to obtain safe drinking water.

He said that pressure filtration should be introduced to get clean drinking water which was also least costly.

The district nazim directed EDO (health) Dr Nazar Mohammad Junejo to take action against quacks who were equally responsible for the spread of hepatitis.

He called upon UC nazims to perform their due role in creating awareness among the people for adopting precautionary measures against the spread of hepatitis.

Agriculture research: Tando Mohammad Khan District Nazim Mir Inayat Ali Talpur has said that a laboratory will be set up in Tando Mohammad Khan to conduct extensive research for improvement of the agriculture sector.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the agriculture extension wing at the district council hall on Monday.

He said that he had already issued directives for taking strict legal action against dealers of spurious pesticides, seed and fertilizers.

He said that the government had introduced rotation programme to meet the shortage of water. He said that the latest technology was being provided to farmers for the development of agriculture.

He said that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had also announced a special package for lining of watercourses and in Tando Mohammad Khan district, 70 per cent watercourses would be lined.

District Naib Nazim Pir Ashfaq Jan Sarhandi said that with the help of agriculture extension wing, efforts would be made to rehabilitate 80,000 acres of barren land in the district.

EDO (agriculture) Attaur Rehman Mari, DCO Ameer Ali Behan and DDO (agriculture extension) Munawar Hassan Araeen also spoke on the occasion.