MITHI, Jan 22: Nazims of various union councils and members of the district council on Tuesday demanded of the government to conduct a high-level inquiry into the misappropriation of wheat provided as relief to the people of the drought-hit region.

Speaking at a news conference, they called for initiating strict action against everyone, including officials of the food and revenue departments and local land lords, involved in the misappropriation of thousands of bags of wheat provided as relief for the Tharis affected by the drought.

Urging the Sindh governor, chief minister, chief secretary and the provincial relief commissioner to initiate an inquiry, they said that most of the poor Thari families had either been deprived of the relief or had been provided in lesser quantities.

Those, who spoke at the news conference, included Abdul Raheem Khoso, Abdul Latif, Dost Ali, Nazims of union councils Harho, Tagusar and Rajore.

They alleged that a huge quantity of relief wheat had been misappropriated from relief centres established at Tagusar, Rajo Halepoto, Taj Mohammad Shah, Misri Shah, Deendario, Waghe Ji Veri, Othi Faqir, Dobhiar, Bisarnio and other villages.

Criticizing the government for inaction, they said that they had sent several complaints to relevant higher authorities during the past couple of weeks but no action had been taken.

While distributing copies of complaints among the newsmen, they said that they included documentary evidence about the misappropriation.