GUJRANWALA, Dec 12: The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has increased water tariff by 40 per cent for what it claimed meeting deficit.
A Wasa source said here on Friday that the rate was enhanced on the pressure of world donors agencies, including International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He claimed that the chief minister had announced a Rs1 billion development package for the city during his visit here six months ago. Of the amount, Rs250 million were to be given to Wasa. But the Punjab government could not release the fund and Wasa has to increase the rate.
He said Wasa’s governing body gave an approval for the raise in tariff and informed the Punjab government accordingly.
He expressed the hope that the government would release the promised amount soon.
Meanwhile, a Wasa spokesman said the department was running in deficit and it was difficult to pay electricity bills. The agency would not have increased the tariff if it had received Rs250 million from the Punjab government.
DEATH SENTENCE: An anti-terrorism court handed down death sentence on two counts, 40 years’ imprisonment and fine to a convict on Friday.
Sajid had shot dead Ramzan alias Zaildar and his son Saim Raza over a money dispute and injured his family members Shahid, Muhammad Husain, Mohsin Raza and Shahzadi Shehar Bano in Kohra Kalan village in Sialkot on August 1 last.
He was sentenced to death on two counts with Rs240,000 fine and 40 years in jail for injuring four other people.
Meanwhile, another anti-terrorism court acquitted six people of double murder charge.
CONDEMNATION: Local journalists condemned implication of a colleague in a criminal case by the Satellite Town police and demanded that the FIR should be quashed otherwise they would go on protest.
A journalists’ meeting held here on Friday was informed that police implicated Kashif Sabir Khan of a local Urdu language daily in a false case at the behest of his rivals.
They also demanded strict action against the SHO of the police station. Later, a delegation of journalists met DPO Saud Aziz and apprised him of the facts. He ordered an inquiry against the SHO and appointed city SP Zaeem Iqbal as inquiry officer.
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