DADU, April 28: A group of elected representatives and social workers have threatened to launched a campaign against oil and gas companies for ‘neglecting local people in jobs and not launching development projects in their respective areas’.

They were speaking at a workshop on role of multinational companies, organised in collaboration with Oxfam here on Sunday.

Speaking at the workshop PPP MPA Kulsoom Chandio said that oil and gas multinational companies were extracting a huge quantity of gas and oil from Sindh, particularly from Dadu and Jamshoro districts.

She said that these companies were not following the agreements signed with the ministry of petroleum and natural resources regarding jobs to local people, which also include carrying out development works in consultation with social workers in the area.

Ms Chandio said that she would take up the matter at the flour of the House.

She said hundreds of engineering graduates and other deserving candidates belonging to Dadu and Jamshoro districts were neglected by these companies.

PPP MPA Rashida Panhwar said that owing to environmental pollution created by these companies fatal diseases were spreading in the area.

She said that according an agreement, these companies were bound to use their 12 per cent of income on the development of local community through local government, provincial and federal governments.

She demanded initiating development projects in the oil and gas producing areas.

A social worker, Ishaque Soomro, said that because of use of poisonous chemicals in field by oil and gas companies, skin diseases were spreading among local people and added that such chemicals had turned underground water salty hence people facing trouble for drinking water.

Another social worker, Sawan Babar, said that unemployment was a major problem in the area. Oil and gas companies were earning money but local people were neglected in the development process.