MANSEHRA, Feb 15: The district development advisory committee has ordered heads of government departments concerned to complete all the ongoing development schemes before the end of current fiscal year.

“Strict legal action will be taken against the heads of departments in case funds released for development schemes get lapsed as the provincial government wants execution of schemes before the end of current fiscal,” said MPA Habibur Rehman Tanoli, chairman of the committee, while speaking at a meeting here on Friday.

Besides the heads of government departments, the meeting was also attended by minister for revenue Shuja Salim and MPA Sajida Tabassum.

Mr Tanoli ordered the education department to submit a report about ghost schools and teachers skipping duties in the area within a week so that action could be taken against those responsible for the mess.

He also asked the district education officer to recover Rs10 million that were fraudulently transferred into the teachers’ accounts.

The education department representatives told the meeting that they had so far taken action against 52 teachers, who were found absent from duty.

Dr Niaz Mohammad, medical superintendent of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital, showed concern over delay in completion of reconstruction work of the hospital, which was destroyed in 2005 earthquake.

He said that patients had been suffering due to delay in the project.

The committee chairman said that the government had sanctioned an additional Rs6 million for the Safada water supply scheme.

SHEESHA BAN: The district administration has banned smoking sheesha at public places and ordered the police to take strict action against the violators.

Deputy commissioner Zulfiqar Shah issued these orders under section 188 of the PPC, restricting the use of sheesha smoking at restaurants, colleges and other public places.

These days sheesha smoking at public places, particularly in restaurants, is on the rise and to check this negative trend the provincial government had banned its use.