THATTA, April 18: Sindh Chief Secretary Shakil Durrani said on Wednesday that the government was considering taking concrete steps to avert any losses in future in coastal belts districts of Thatta and Badin from sea intrusion.

Speaking at an open katchehry at the Circuit House of Makli on Wednesday Mr Durrani said that the government had taken serious notice of the periodical inundation of over 1.2 million acres of fertile land along the coastline of the two districts.

A comprehensive report on losses from Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) would soon be obtained through technical staff of irrigation department to bring forth the actual facts, he said.

He said that serious steps would also be taken for the withdrawal contract system for fishing in the River Indus and Keenjhar Lake. The steps would help reduce poverty in the miseries-stricken district of Thatta.

Criticising the decorations made in his honour at the circuit house he said the arrangement of posh "shamianas", red carpets and scented atmosphere would segregate the "ruled" and the "rulers" and stop the administration from reaching the core of real problems.

The chief secretary advised the district administration to get themselves out of office files and approach common men to redress their problems - a real way of good governance.

He said that his priorities in Sindh were to eliminate "police" and "patwari" culture from the province and turn the departments into real service centres for people.

He said that efforts were being made to improve the service standards of hospitals and rural health centres and get rid of the red carpet culture from the society.

Earlier, the chief secretary visited archaeological sites at Makli and directed the concerned officials to prepare a master plan for the improvement of historical sites including the Bhambhore ruins, Makli necropolis and Shahjehan Masjid.

He left for Keenjhar Lake where he was scheduled to be briefed on the raising of the lake’s banks. He directed the DCO of Thatta to furnish a report on the excavation of stone from the historical graveyard of Pir Lakho Lutfullah.