KOHAT: The district administration has launched a cleanliness and chlorination drive of the overhead and surface water tanks in the city. It has also started opening of big drains at the new and old bus stands and near Liaquat Memorial Hospital.

The campaign has been assisted by the Water Supply and Sanitation Company and tehsil municipal administration.

Sources said that the deputy commissioner had received several public complaints about the problems at the old and new bus stands, illegal transport stand in KDA and use of pressure horns.

On his orders, use of polythene bags was banned and alternative paper bags had been distributed in the Afghan refugee camps and suburbs of Kohat. The drive has been named as ‘say no to polythene bags’.

Similarly pressure horns and flashlights have been removed from hundreds of vehicles and fine imposed on the drivers who were spreading noise pollution.

The action had been taken on the directives of the home department. The drivers were earlier given three days to remove pressure horns and banned lights on their own.

Additional assistant commissioner Samiullah told this scribe that several illegal stone crushing plants had also been sealed under Section 144. They have been asked to produce valid licence issued by the mining department.

Likewise, the illegal transport stand at the KDA hospital had been removed and the KDA project director asked to ensure it was not established again. The campaigns were supervised by Mr Samiullah with the help of WSSC and TMA.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2018