THATTA, Nov 2: District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi has contested official figures of 34 per cent literacy rate in the district and said it is not more than 10 per cent despite provision of huge funds to the education department.

He was speaking at a joint meeting of officials of education, health and agriculture departments at the Makli circuit house here on Wednesday.

The nazim warned officials to desist from hiding facts. He said action would be taken against officials found negligent in performing their duties, particularly in the education department.

He said he would pay surprise visits even to schools in remote areas and if there were ghost teachers, officers concerned would be held responsible and taken to task.

The nazim announced to appoint lecturers on contract in two boys and two girls colleges of the district to overcome shortage of teachers. He said the district government would contribute Rs2,000 in addition to Rs3,000 from school management committees’ funds to be paid as honorarium to these lecturers.

He directed early completion of a computer room, a stadium and the boundary wall of the Government Boys’ College, Sujawal.

The nazim was informed that 140,855 students – 93,439 boys and 47,416 girls – were getting education from primary to higher level in 2,758 institutes through 5,592 teachers in the district.

The nazim also directed the health department to ensure availability of anti-snake and anti-rabies venoms and administer hepatitis-B and C vaccines to school children.

He said the Makli Civil Hospital in future would get its budget directly, instead of through the EDO, health.

REPORT DENIED: District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi has said he has nothing to do with the costal area land and protests by workers of a party against alleged allotment of the land to outsiders are politically motivated.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the nazim and his elder brother, Syed Aijaz Ali Shirazi, adviser to the Sindh chief minister on forest, denied reports published in a section of the press on Wednesday in this regard.

Clarifying the issue, he said Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz chairman Bashir Qureshi had come to him on three occasions to help settle a dispute between Samoon and Karnani communities. However, he said, since the Sammons were not ready to resolve the issue, he refused to act as a solicitor which annoyed Mr Qureshi.

He said only one piece of land had been allotted by the government in the Thatta coastal belt to the Alternate Energy Development Board for establishment of wind mills.