HYDERABAD, Sept 14: The Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday gave a seven-day deadline to Sindh Relief Commissioner Anwar Hyder to drain out stagnant rainwater from the Hyderabad district provided there was no more rainfall.

The bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Mohammad Athar Saeed expressed disappointment over inefficiency of government functionaries who have failed to drain out water from parts of Latifabad.

Sindh additional advocate-general Masood A. Noorani, Sindh relief commissioner, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, Thatta DCO Usman Panwhar, Matiari DCO, HDA director-general Tahir Ahmed, Kotri barrage chief engineer Manzoor Sheikh, representatives of the Hyderabad EDO revenue and other officials were present in the court.

In his written statement, the relief commissioner said he had collected data from agencies concerned and officials of the district and province.

He said that he was also attending to relief work in calamity-hit areas of Hyderabad and other districts of Sindh.

The court took serious notice of reports that water could not been drained out from various parts of the district.

The court said that the authorities should speed up work to drain out water, instead of giving alms to people in the name of relief.

The court said that the relief commissioner, who is also senior member of Board of Revenue, had undertaken that after rainwater was drained out, he would ensure that other civic facilities were provided to residents including fumigation in affected areas.

The court adjourned the matter till break after obtaining information from the relief commissioner gave some time to him for consulting officials before making a categorical statement.

The commissioner held a meeting with DCO Hyderabad, HDA’s chief in the office of AAG Sindh and then submitted his statement which was also adopted by DCO Hyderabad.

Tahir Ahmed said that he would try to provide services which came within ambit of his authority to people after the draining out of rainwater, such as supply of clean drinking water.

The court expressed the hope that all agencies would discharge their responsibilities so that people could be provided relief and facilities which were their constitutional right.

In case of failure, the court said, matter would be dealt with accordingly.