HYDERABAD, Dec 11: The Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority has warned the Water and Sanitation Agency of Hyderabad that if it fails to clear its outstanding Rs63 million dues, its water supply could be cut off.

The warning was issued at a meeting between officials of the Left Bank Area Water Board (LBAWB), Sida, with the managing director of Wasa in his office here on Saturday.

Those who attended the meeting included Wasa MD Mohammad Sharif Arain, LBAWB chairman Khalil Bhurgari, General Manager of Sida (transition) Nazeer Issani and manager revenue of Sida Aftab Memon.

Khalil Bhurgari informed Wasa that since 1971, water charges of Rs63 million had piled up against the agency, which must be paid. He pointed out that the approved design for Wasa was only five cusecs of water, but in fact Wasa was drawing 40 cusecs of water, which was illegal.

Nazeer Ahmed Issani said that Wasa was an autonomous body which was supplying water to its agricultural, industrial and other consumers and was the major water consumer of Sida. It was, therefore, necessary that it should pay its arrears failing which its water supply could be cut off.

The MD of Wasa informed the water board and Sida officials that Wasa was unable to pay the dues because it did not have funds even to pay salaries to its employees.

He urged Sida to get in touch with the Sindh government and added that he would hold a meeting with the director-general to request the Sindh government to clear the dues. PROTEST

: A large number of civil society activists and artistes, led by noted folk artistes Urs Chandio and Qadir Bux Mithu, took out a procession from Gharibabad colony and staged a sit-in on the Indus Highway and outside Jamshoro press club on Saturday.

They were protesting against deletion of the name of the DPO of Qambar-Shahdadkot from an FIR registered at Jamshoro police station against police officials of Qambar-Shahdadkot district for raiding the house of Urs Chandio on Friday and killing his brother and two nephews.Speaking on the occasion, Urs Chandio, Qadir Bux Mithu, Mohammad Ali Ghangro and Nadir Magsi that the raiding party was led by DPO Qambar-Shahdadkot, but his name was removed from the FIR and no action was being taken against the accused.

They demanded that police officers involved in the raid should be suspended and arrested.

Meanwhile, on the call of the president of STP of Jamshoro district, Nadir Magsi, similar protest demonstrations were held in Sehwan, Manjhand and Kotri for the arrest of the accused police officers. LUMHS

: The academic council of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences of Jamshoro has decided that the house job for MBBS and BDS students will be for two years.

After the first year, to be called the foundation year, doctors on the house job will be examined as per the decision of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, the decision adds taken on Saturday.

In its 25th meeting presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Noshad A.Shaikh, it was recommended that biomedical ethics should be taught in all the years to improve the standard of medical education.

It was decided that third, fourth and final year students of MBBS and BDS will be allowed winter vacations from Dec 16 to Dec 27.

On this occasion, the vice-chancellor inaugurated the newly-constructed academic council hall.