LARKANA, Aug 7: The Sindh minister for planning and development, Syed Shoaib Bukhari, has said a long-standing demand of the people of Larkana and Khairpur districts about the construction of a bridge over the Indus river will be meet soon.

Speaking at a meeting at the Circuit House here on Friday, he said the work on the project would be started in December this year.

He said the project was approved by the federal government which had allocated an amount of Rs5 million for it.

The whole project would cost Rs2,500 million.

He said the idea behind the local government system was to ameliorate the problems of people at their doorsteps.

Mr Bukhari said officials working at the district level must realize their responsibilities and provide relief to people and behave politely.

The minister received complaints against the shortage of irrigation water, Wapda, police, education, health, Katchi Abadies and UC Nazims.

People from all seven sub-divisional headquarters of the district participated in the meeting and apprised the minister about their problems.

Reminding officials he said being government servants you were here to serve the people without any discrimination and provide justice to the masses.

He said the government was trying its utmost to address the issue of unemployment and added there was a dire need for foreign investors to establish industries in Sindh.

He conceded the government could not provide 100 per cent employment.

The minister also visited the Chandka Medical College and said that requirements including maintenance and repair of the college hostels, water supply and drainage would be met soon.

The Moenjodaro Conservation and Research Cell will start functioning in the first week of September, with its main office at Moenjodaro, to undertake the conservation and preservation work of the Indus Valley civilization monument.

Talking to this correspondent at the historic site of Moenjodaro on Thursday, the director-general of the Archaeology and Museums, Pakistan, Fazluddin Kakar, said that the department of archeology had already advertized the post of project director for the scheme spanning over 15 years.

To achieve the desired results, two consultants from the Unesco would provide expertise on the department-controlled project while remaining in touch with the MCRC, he added.

Funds to the tune of Rs95 million, left unused by the abandoned Authority for the Preservation of Moenjodaro would be placed at the disposal of the MCRC, he said.

Regarding the fate of the old weather station, erected by the former Moenjodaro Conservation Cell at a huge cost, he said that the station was being rebuilt as the old one had done its time.

Curator Irshad Ahmed Ridd said that the department had begun the urgent work of mud-spraying/washing at vulnerable areas of the site to protect them against the imminent monsoon rains.