KOHAT: The local residents have demanded construction of a bridge over the centuries-old Kohat Toi (stream) flowing from Orakzai district, whose water has been diverted to fill the Tanda Dam.

They said that protection walls were required along the stream to save their homes from being damaged when it swelled during rains.

They said that the road connecting the Kohat city with the Hangu Road and Tanda Dam villages remained inundated when additional water was released after the reservoir got filled, forcing the people to take a long route to reach their destinations.

They said the road provided a short-cut to Hangu Road inhabitants and Tanda Dam villages.

When contacted, irrigation department SDO Daud Khan told Dawn that the shallow road was in fact a causeway on the stream. He said it had been constructed by the irrigation department for the convenience of the staff of Tanda Dam.

He said millions of rupees were required for constructing a bridge.

Mr Daud said that floods were caused due to encroachments, adding despite serving notices to owners of illegal houses they were not removing them. He said it was duty of the tehsil municipal administration to remove encroachments.

He said the stream had become narrow due to encroachments, as a result, gushing water uprooted trees and mud houses.

The official said that the people had also raised orchards along the stream.

Meanwhile, the residents alleged the irrigation department had made no serious effort to remove the encroachments up to 20 feet into the Toi stream and allowed housing colonies.

The miserable story of the Toi stream does not end here as the whole city’s sewage has been diverted into it, polluting its waters.

The people once used to take bath, wash clothes and do fishing in the stream.

PROTEST AGAINST POLICE TORTURE: The traders and cavity society activists on Monday staged a protest against the alleged torture of a man by the Peshawar police.

The protesters gathered at the Martyrs Square and then in front of the Kohat Press Club. They said the treatment meted out to the man was against the norms of any religion and sect. They demanded dismissal of the policemen involved in the crime.

Meanwhile, The Wapda hydro electric union members observed a two-hour token pen down strike against the proposed privatisation of the organisation.

A procession as taken out led by union’s divisional chairman Younis Shah, provincial deputy chairman Mohammad Daud Jan and others.

They said the token strike would continue till July 15, after which provincial leaders would decide future course of action.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2020