KOHAT: The heavy rain which lashed Kohat on Thursday exposed the Rs1 billion worth of beatification plan which failed to serve its purpose and rather created more problems especially of drainage in the city, an official of the Water Supply and Sanitation Company said.

The main drains were never cleaned despite heavy rains forecast except when they became a nuisance for the people during rains. The sludge and sewage put on the sides of the drains again fell into them.

The bypass drain was narrow and unable to bear the pressure of water due to choking with garbage and the overflowing sewage spread over the Kohat- Hangu highway at Hangu Pathak square.

The Kohat- Hangu dual highway, which has been delayed by a year, turns into a pool of water during rain at Abdul Ali checkpost near Juzara and water remained there for weeks. There too the drainage has been kept so narrow that the water spills over the highway, causing damage to it.

WSSC sanitation inspector Mohammad Sohail told this correspondent that narrow drains in all the bazaars and roads had been causing problems for them. He regretted that the beautification plan had marred the earlier beauty and drainage system of the city instead of bringing improvement.

In Tirah bazaar, garbage has choked the drainage system and sewage could be seen scattered there.

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS: The DIG, Kohat division, Tayyab Hafeez Cheema accompanied by district police officer Javed Iqbal and military officials conducted the final inspection of the inner and outer security cordons of imambargahs and met with the caretakers.

He asked the officials to make deployment on the main roads and streets around the Qaumi, Rizvia and Syed Habib imambargahs located in the heart of the city.

He said that he wanted foolproof arrangements by utilising all available resources and conveyed to the deployed force to remain on the highest alert. They also witnessed the CCTV monitoring of the mourners routes at the command post.

Meanwhile, additional force called from Northern Areas of the province for Muharram duty was deployed in Kohat the other day. At least, 3,500 personnel would guard the city and Hangu road imambargahs.

Also, the main bazaar and the routes of imambargahs were sealed for security of the mourners’ processions.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2020