MIRPURKHAS, Feb 9: About 200 girl students of Nursing Hostel, Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas face hardship as gas supply has been disconnected since four months due to non-payment of bill.

Reports said Rs1.2 million are outstanding against gas bill upon which officials of the SSGC Mirpurkhas severed the supply. Girl students residing in hostel are compelled on using logs worth Rs200 daily for preparing food and boiling water.

Saima, Fozia and Nargis deplored that they were compelled to suffer additional expense and demanded of the secretary health and Zila Nazim Mirpurkhas to ensure restoration of gas connection to the hostel.

Principal Parveen Akhtar said without gas facility her students were facing hardships particularly in winter. She urged the concerned authorities to solve the problem immediately.

Civil surgeon, Civil Hospital, Dr Roshan Ali Bhatti said he had submitted summary of Rs300,000 to DCO Mirpurkhas for part payment of arrears about two and half months back but Zila government had not decided, as yet.

He further said in past Rs900,000 were allocated annually for payment of gas bill including Rs400,000 for oxygen gas cylinders.

He regretted that since last month, the district government curtailed the budget of gas of the Civil Hospital and allocated Rs200,000 this year.