BADIN, Feb 23: Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that the government is committed to eradicating corruption from politicians and government departments so that it can conduct its business in neat and clean manner.

He was addressing a public gathering and officers at the Zero Point, some 55 kilometres from here, after inspecting a protective bund of the LBOD on Tuesday evening. He said the corrupt people should get ready for accountability and added that the Supreme Court had also proceeded against corrupt officials.

He said through the process of accountability the government and its institutions would not become weak rather they would become stronger. He ruled out rumours of any change in Sindh and added that there was no political vacuum.

Dr Rahim said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had given Rs28 million for repair and construction of protective bund of LBOD. The work was being conducted under the supervision of Pak Army Engineering Corps.

The chief minister lauded the performance of army men and announced one month pay in addition for them to be paid by the Sindh government. He said that the work on 16 kilometres protective bund was started from the coastal Jati zero point to the Seerani drain.

Dr Rahim said the World Bank had also taken in hand construction of the coastal highway that would be started from Ghaghar Phatak in Thatta district to Ali Bundar in Badin district.

He expressed apprehensions that the coastal fertile lands could be affected with salinity due to seasonal rains. He instructed DCOs of Badin, Thatta, Sanghar and Mirpurkhas to take precautionary measures to combat salinity.

Some people complained about shortage of water in Shadi Large, Khoski Minor, Mirwah and other waterways. The chief minister took notice of the complaints and directed the DCO for solution.

Earlier, Brigadier Junaid Ahmed of the Engineering 5-Corps briefed the chief minister and said that the stone pitching work on 16 kilometres was going-on by the army personnel at the cost of Rs28 million.