HYDERABAD, June 16: The director-general of Sindh health services has declared emergency in Thatta and Badin districts and suspended the leave of employees in the wake of monsoon.

Dr Hussain Bux Memon, undertook a tour of Ismail Jamali, Kadhan, Shadban Lund, Serani, Ahmad Raju and Lowari Sharif villages in Badin and Raj Malik, Chuhar Jamali, Kothi, Ladiyoon and Jati taluka in Thatta under instruction from the Sindh health secretary.

The Sindh chief minister had earlier directed the secretary to submit a report about affected areas of Thatta and Badin districts. In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Dr Memon said he had directed health EDOs of the two districts to prepare a plan to assess losses caused by last year's floods.

He said he had asked all health units to ensure availability of anti-snake venom and other medicines as many snakebite cases were reported during rains.

BODY DISSOLVED: The district council convener has dissolved the budget committee constituted to sort out budget-related issues before it is presented in the council session, according to sources.

Convener Nawab Rashid Ali Khan has told the EDO, finance and planning, Syed Sikandar Shah, about the dissolution of the committee. On Monday some budget committee members did not attend its meeting in protest against the convener's refusal to release funds for study tour of other provinces by council members in advance.

The previous meeting of the committee also could not be held as only one of its members had turned up to attend the meeting. Keeping in mind last year's experience, when the budget presented in the council session was replete with mistakes, Mr Khan had constituted the committee to sort out budget-related issues.

He had hoped that the committee would make the task of budget preparation easier for the finance and planning section of the district government. However, the lack of interest showed by committee members in attending its meetings had led to its dissolution, sources said.