Umerkot district and sessions judge has reported to the Sindh High Court (SHC) that Sindh government has not undertaken efforts for filling the vacant posts of doctors, compensating drought victims or for releasing funds for potable water supply schemes in famine-hit areas.
Following a court order, Umerkot district and sessions judge Suresh Kumar submitted a report to SHC after conducting an enquiry into the effectiveness of the relief activities being carried out by federal and provincial governments in famine-hit areas of Umerkot district.
In his report, he said that according to the administration of Umerkot Hospital, 54 deaths were reported at the hospital, out of which 35 were of under-five years of age children who belonging to the drought-hit areas.
The judge pointed out that several posts of doctors, civil surgeons, gynaecologists, pediatricians and other medical specialists were lying vacant in Umerkot hospital, adding 130 doctors were serving against the sanctioned strength of 401.
He said that he visited DHQ Umerkot along with other judges and found that 23 children were under treatment at the hospital but no pediatrician was posted there.
“On enquiry, head of DHQ said the posts were lying vacant since 2007,” said the judge, adding that X-ray machine was not working since past two years.
“Low quality medicines are available at the all government hospitals and health centers,” he said.
He said out of 29 rural health centers, basic health units and government dispensaries established in Umerkot, 18 were not functioning properly. The judge said that people say “two pipeline schemes Chhor Khokhropar and Ratnore-Banghal are functional which are under administrative control of the Pakistan Army. Around 40,000 population of the affected areas are getting water from these schemes while no scheme was approved for the rest of the population of the district”.
He added that a water supply scheme for Umerkot was under consideration since last seven years to supply water to adjoining desert areas as well as Umerkot city but the scheme could not be completed.
He said no future planning has been shared by the Umerkot depty commissioner. Besides, the judge pointed out that the federal government has not issued any grant. Even federal government has not taken efforts to expedite the work on the second phase of Rani Canal which can provide irrigation and drinking water to Umerkot and Tharparkar.
While hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Institute of Labour and Education Research (PILER) and other NGOs, the court had issued directives for the district judges in Tharparkar and Umerkot to examine the ongoing relief work there and gather information about recent deaths by the famine.
The petitioner had plead to the court to take action against the authorities over their failure to provide relief and health facilities to the people of Tharparkar.
