HYDERABAD, May 30: The district vaccinators' coordination committee and paramedical staff of the health department at a joint meeting on Saturday took strong exception to the removal of EDO health Dr Agha Tariq in connection with the supply of poisonous water to the people of Hyderabad.

Speakers including Shahid Ahmed and Gohar Iqbalsaid that the official had nothing to do with the supply of contaminated water but he had been made a scapegoat by the inquiry committee under pressure from the irrigation minister.

They said that the district health department had declared emergency in all the hospitals when the reports about the supply of contaminated water had surfaced and health workers had worked day and night to save the lives of the people.

They said that the irrigation officials who were the real culprits and directly responsible for the loss of at least twelve people had been protected and the EDO health punished for no fault of his.

They said that there was a great resentment among the workers of the health department due to this injustice and demanded that an impartial inquiry should be held into the entire episode under the aegis of Unicef and other reputable organizations.