HYDERABAD, June 5: The district council here on Saturday demanded immediate release of Rs500 million Sindh governor's grant for water supply and sewerage schemes in the city.

It also called for the appointment of the DCO as the project director for utilising the funds by adopting a resolution tabled by Q. Hakim.

He said that Rs80 million of the Hyderabad Development Authority, that had remained un-utilised, should be relocated and used for water supply and sewerage schemes in the city to provide relief to people.

He said that in next fiscal year the district government should allocate Rs100 million for sewerage and water supply schemes.

A heated debate took place in the session over the water issue with particular reference to supply of contaminated water to the city and inaction on the part authorities concerned, including the district government.

Rana Mehmood Ali Khan rose on a point of order and led a protest walkout staged by the members.

Abdul Qadeer Qazi criticized the district and provincial governments for poor handling of the water crisis and said that so far 38 deaths had been reported and 457 people hospitalized due to severe stomach problems.

He added that while district government officials had been given dual charges of the Water and Sanitation Agency and the HDA, they had done nothing worthwhile so far.

He further said that compensation was yet to be paid to the heirs of the deceased and foresaw the fate of the compensation payment as that of relief money for the rain affected people, that had not been distributed despite the lapse of eight months.

He proposed that Wasa should be given subsidy by the government.

Mr Hakim and Mr Khan focussed on Rs500 million governor's grant, saying that it was inevitable for the city's sewerage and water supply schemes.

They said that if water situation was minutely analysed, the deaths would be counted in hundreds, and added that had the funds been released and utilised, the disaster might have been averted.

They stated that according to March 30's press reports, chances of restoration of Rs10.5 billion Hyderabad Development Package had been diminished and the reports have not been contradicted.

Deploring that the rulers were not fulfilling their commitments, they said: "We are being defrauded. The HDP funds will not be released in our tenure."

Sher Mohammad Pirzada and Ali Nawaz Kutrio spoke of water- related problems in their areas with the former saying that chances of more deaths in Latifabad had increased because water condition had not improved there.

They asked as to why funds of the HDA were being lapsed and suggested that they should be utilized next year.

Ghulam Hussain Magsi criticized the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, saying that it was preferring its ministries instead of proving their commitment to the city which it claimed to be its stronghold. Babu Ramzan Arain called for launching protest against the Sindh government.