DADU, Aug 6: A large number of people held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Wednesday against the collapse of the drainage system and shortage of drinking water in the town.

Carrying banners, the protesters, including councillors and activists of various political parties, raised slogan against the district engineer and the Dadu taluka administration.

They were led by Marooara Welfare Association president Rajab Ali Shahani, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leader Niaz Channa, Citizen’s Action Committee president Jawed Ahmad Ghalloo, Pakistan People’s Party (SB) leader Munir Panhwar and councillors Bashir Ahmad Bhatti, Saleem Jamali and Faheem Memon.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shahani said the drainage system of the Shahani locality, Jagatabad, Gharibabad and Mazdoorabad was constructed a month back but it collapsed as substandard material was used in it. He said roads and half of the town was submerged by rain and sewage water as pipelines were broken at different places.

Mr Ghalloo said diseases had spread in the city due to drinking of contaminated water and failure of the drainage system.

He said Shahbaz, Najam and Pir Illahi Bux colonies were flooded with drainage water.

Later, the protesters observed a token hunger strike in front of the press club.

RELIEF DEMANDED: The leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, has said the Sindh government has failed to provide relief to rain victims of Badin, Thatta, Dadu and Mithi.

He was talking to journalists at the resident of People’s Party Parliamentarians MNA Rafiq Ahmad Jamali here on Wednesday.

The Sindh PPP president said the provincial government had announced only Rs5 million for the affected people of Badin which was not sufficient.

He criticized the government for not providing food, health and other basic facilities to the people.

Referring to the Swiss Bank case against party chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, Mr Khuhro said the government was blackmailing PPP leaders through such cases.

REHABILITATION: Houses of hundreds of fishermen in the Manchhar Lake area have been damaged in the recent rains and the revenue department has received applications for rebuilding the houses.

This was said by the deputy district officer, revenue, Riaz Ahmad Massan, while talking to journalists here on Wednesday.

He said Mukhtiarkars of Johi and Sehwan were appointed to conduct the survey of losses in the area.

He said Girkino, Tihni and Shah Hassan villages were badly affected by the rain and Nain Gaj Drain water.

The DDO said packets of relief goods were distributed among 300 families of fishermen.

He said the water level at the Manchhar Lake was recorded at 115 feet on Wednesday and the lake was receiving more water from Nain Gaj.

He said the affected fishermen had shifted to the Manchhar Lake bund and some families had settled at big boats.

The officer said some 2,000 fishermen families had returned who had migrated when the lake dried up and its water turned brackish.