NAWABSHAH, July 5: Five irrigation officials, who were suspended following two breaches in the Gujra Canal and the Khiyaryoon Minor on June 29, are still holding their posts.

The officials, SDO (special duty) Nabi Dad Wassan, surveyor Zulfiqar Khoso, Darogha Sarwar Jamali, Baildar Bashir Khaskheli and Tandail Abdul Rasheed, were suspended by Sindh irrigation secretary Ashfaq Hussain Memon during his visit to the breach site and their services were to be terminated under the Presidential Ordinance, 2002, without any inquiry.

An irrigation department source termed the suspensions a drama and said the suspended officials were holding their posts. Even explanations had not been called from the officials, he added.

He further informed that the executive engineer, Nusrat division, Khair Mohammad Dahri, who was actually an SDO, had not been transferred despite an assurance by the irrigation secretary to the district nazim and the DCO that he would be transferred within days.

When contacted, the executive engineer was not available at his office. However, telephone operator at his office, Barkat Ali, said that no official of the Nusrat division had been suspended or transferred and they were performing their duties.

District Nazim Faryal Talpur said that she would speak to the executive engineer on the issue as she was unaware of the fact that the suspended officials were still working. DCO Gul Mohammad Umrani gave the same comments.

SURVEY DELAYED: Meanwhile, the revenue department has not completed a survey of the losses caused by the breaches and the provincial and district governments have not announced any compensation for affected families. The standing water in the residential areas has been drained out by the Taluka Municipal Administration.