LARKANA, Nov 7: The district nazim has terminated proceedings to grant a no-objection certificate for setting up a CNG filling station in a portion of the local Railway Park.

The nazim in his letter addressed to the district coordination officer on October 22 said that the filling station may cause nuisance as it was being set up next to the Chandka Medical College Hospital (city block) and another medical complex, sources told this correspondent.

The letter was issued following complaints of the Larkana taluka nazim, certain social organizations and notables.

While seeking the NOC, the deputy district officer had ignored the taluka municipal administration despite that fact that the area in question fell under the limits of the TMA, the district nazim said and added that the office of the DCO was not allowed under the Petroleum Rules 1937 to exercise such powers.

JAIL INCIDENT: Sindh Inspector-General of Prisons Brigadier Abdul Hayee Mughni has said that an inquiry into the recent jail riots in Jacobabad will be finalized in a fortnight.

Talking to journalists at the Larkana Women Jail on Saturday after distributing Eid gifts among prisoners, he said that he was not in haste because the process of knowing solid reasons for the jail incident should be "transparent".

To address overcrowding in prisons, three new jails in Badin, Sanghar and Dadu were nearing completion, whereas funds had been released for construction of two new jails in Naushahro Feroze and Ghotki, he said.

About production of prisoners in courts, he said that owing to non-availability of "required" transport from the regular police, jail officials were facing problems in this context.

A new plan for jail reforms would be unveiled soon, he said, adding that in this connection, he had visited different jails in Punjab.

Ultrasound unit: DCO Abdul Razaq Qureshi inaugurated an ultrasound unit at the taluka hospital in Ratodero.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the unit had been installed at a cost of Rs1,200,000 and added that the government was trying its best to provide maximum health facilities in rural areas.

He announced a donation of Rs10,000 for the patients and was informed that Rs50 would be charged from a patient for getting ultrasound report.

Previously, the patients from Ratodero and adjoining areas had to travel to Larkana for ultrasound tests.

Mr Qureshi asked the medical superintendent of the hospital to purchase X-ray equipment through funding by the district government.

He said that remaining part of boundary wall of the hospital would be completed soon and encroachments removed.

He directed the EDO of health to take over the town maternity home from the building department within two days and open it by next week.

The EDO, Dr Wahid Bakhsh Bhutto, the medical superintendent, Dr Faquir Mohammad Khokhar, Ratodero-I union council Nazim Lutufullah Soomro and others apprised the DCO of problems being faced by the hospital. The problems include shortage of expert doctors, medicines and furniture.

Later, the DCO visited judicial lockup in Ratodero and inquired from under trial prisoners about their problems.

He directed the in-charge of judicial lockup to ensure supply of food of better quality to the detainees.

The DCO also visited the taluka office and inspected the revenue record.

ASIF ZARDARI: Activists of the Asif Zardari Rehaee Committee observed black day here to protest against continued imprisonment of the Peoples Party Parliamentarians leader.

Syed Irshad Ali Shah, general secretary of the committee, and others, speaking at a protest meeting at Kennedy Market, criticized the government for implicating Mr Zardari in false and fabricated cases.