SADIQABAD, Feb 5: There is acute shortage of life-saving medicines in the Firoza Civil Hospital. Medical officer Khwaja Abdul Malik told this scribe on Thursday that the quota of free medicines being supplied to the hospital had been curtailed drastically.

He said at least 150 patients visited out-patient department daily. The medicines provided to the hospital were not enough to even treat emergency case, he claimed.

He said the hospital was catering to the needs of the people of far flung areas along like Abbasia belt, Cholistan and Kacha areas.

Mr Malik requested the government to increase the quota of medicine instead of decreasing it as the number of patients was increasing.

NO WATER: Residents of almost half the city, including Faisalabad locality, old Sadiqabad, RCA factory and other areas, have been facing acute shortage of water due to suspension of supply. People have to fetch water from other localities.

A number of people told this scribe that there was no water even for cooking. Faithful going to offer prayers in mosques were unable to perform ablution. They claimed that the tehsil council wanted to enhance water supply charge but did not bother to improve its system.

FISH FARMING: Steps were being taken to develop fish farming in the district. This was stated by Punjab Minister for Fisheries Jam Muhammad Hashim Ghaleja while talking to newsmen in Basti Dharni on Thursday.

He said marketing would be improved for the benefit of farmers. A fish market would be set up in Rahim Yar Khan to attract the local people in the business.

Modern fish sale centres were also being set up in Lahore and Bahawalpur.