SUKKUR, Nov 27: The Government of Sindh has decided to lease out the kutcha land of forest department to the people to increase the government revenue, informed sources told Dawn here on Tuesday. A working paper in this connection was being prepared which would be submitted to the government of Sindh for final approval, sources claimed. The prevailing ban on leases would soon be lifted to make the process easy. According to sources, the forest department had suggested to the government that about 50,000 acres of forest land was available with the department for the purpose.

It was also suggested that the lease would be given for a five year period at the rate of Rs. 500 to Rs.2000 acre per annum keeping in view the nature of the location of the land. The department also suggested to form a committee to register the names of the interested lessers of the land and finalize the deals case-by-case. According to sources, it was also suggested that 10,000 acres of land be leased out to individuals and 40,000 would go to the groups or companies.

MEDICINES: Zila Naib Nazim, Sukkur, Mr. Iqbal Dawood has said that service to ailing humanity was not less than a worship. He said this while addressing medicine distribution ceremony organized by heath department at the Municipal Maternity Home (Chablani Hospital).

He advised the doctors to work hard with devotion and sincerity and provide relief to the people. DCO Sukkur Nisar Ahmed Siddiqi stressed upon the need of making municipal dispensaries more effective and lauded the efforts of health department for provision of medicines. Taluka Nazim Sukkur, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, urged upon the doctors to ensure proper co-ordination for the betterment of the society.

Earlier, EDO Health Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed Piracha, welcoming the participants said tat life-saving as weel as common drugs have been provided to the maternity home.