MANSEHRA, Dec 3: The District Development Advisory Committee (DDAC), Mansehra wants early completion of development projects and rehabilitation of health and education facilities destroyed by the Oct 2005 earthquake but the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority is a big hurdle to it, according to DDAC Chairperson and MPA Maleeha Tanveer.

`If Erra officials don`t discharge duty diligently, I along with other lawmakers will raise the matter on the floor of the house,` Ms Maleeha said during a meeting of local heads of government departments at New Circuit House on Tuesday.

Deputy Commissioner, Mansehra Zulfiqar Shah, Medical Superintendent of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital Dr Niaz Mohammad, Assistant Director (Livestock) Dr Rafiq Mughal also attended the meeting.

The DDAC chairwomansaid the committee would induct more staff into government departments in the district to ensure provision of better health, educational and other facilities to the local residents.

She said all development schemes and proposals forwarded by heads of government departments would be executed by the government, which was committed to providing the best possible educational and health services to the people on their doorstep.

Speaking on the occasion, the deputy commissioner said the district administration was doing its level best to address the local residents` basic problems.

He said the DDAC had ensured end to absenteeism at almost all departments in the district, while services at local health facilities were being strictly monitored.

Mr Zulfiqar Shah said teachers often found absent from duty faced strict action.

He said the administration was trying to manage trafficin the city and adjoining areas through a comprehensive strategy, while a crackdown on moveable and immoveable encroachments was underway.

The medical superintendent of King Abdullah Teaching Hospital complained of staff shortage on his premises and said unavailability of medical specialists, doctors and paramedics in adequate numbers was adversely affecting patient care.

`Though we are of fering all sorts of tertiary health services to visitors, the delay in the reconstruction of the hospital`s earthquake-hit portion and shortage of specialists are stressing out patients,` he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the assistant director (livestock) said his department had sprayed around 200,000 animals to kill ticks to prevent the Congo virus.

He said there was no threat of Congo virus outbreak in the district after the anti-tick spray.