Shahbaz Sharif expresses strong indignation over the incidents of unconsciousness of girl students

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed strong indignation over the incidents of unconsciousness of girl students due to anti-dengue spray in schools of Attock and Jhelum and strictly reprimanded the concerned authorities. He said that concerned departments have displayed criminal negligence by not implementing the plan evolved regarding anti-dengue. He said that the affected innocent girls and their parents can feel the agony faced by them as a result of anti-dengue spray in schools of Attock and Jhelum. Had there been an effective coordination from lower to high level among concerned departments, these tragic incidents would not have happened, he added.

He expressed these views while addressing a meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat Lahore, Jhelum and Attock, here today. The Chief Minister said that every step for anti-dengue has been written in documents in detail but was not implemented practically.

Similarly, committees have been constituted from provincial to tehsil level but neither their performance has been reviewed nor monitored, he added. He lamented that there is no legislation for regularizing private sector by the concerned institutions with regard to insecticide. He said had emergency response committees been active at district and tehsil level, such incidents would have been averted.

Shehbaz Sharif inquired from the concerned authorities why permission was not taken from an authorized forum regarding anti-dengue spray. He said that carrying out spray at two schools without permission of technical advisory committee is a question mark. He said that no concerned institution or department fulfilled its responsibility at district and tehsil level and such incidents have reflected the lapse of effective coordination among the concerned institutions. He said that it has been decided to send the samples of spray conducted at schools of Attock and Jhelum to London for checking, however, these samples will also be tested by best labs of the country.

The Chief Minister said that he needs practical steps and not lip service; all the institutions will have to work in a coordinated manner. Provincial Minister for Education, Advisor Health, Chief Secretary, elected representatives from Jhelum, Members National and Provincial Assembly from Attock, Additional Chief Secretary, Chairman Chief Minister’s Inspection Team Dr. Faisal Masood and concerned secretaries attended the meeting from Civil Secretariat Lahore.

Meanwhile, On the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, action was taken against seven senior officers on the incident of Government Girls Higher Secondary School Domeli. Secretary Health, Secretary Schools and Secretary Local Government have been transferred as OSD. Director General Health Services and Dean Institute of Public Health as well as Assistant Commissioners of Jand and Dina have also been suspended. It is worth mentioning that Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif took strict action on unconsciousness of girl students in the schools of Jhelum and Attock and eight officers have already been suspended which include DCOs, EDOs Health, Education and TMOs of Jhelum and Attock.