MANSEHRA: The Kaghan Development Authority on Wednesday began the repair of a flood-hit stream bridge, which links Naran area with the Saiful Muluk Lake.

The watercourse’s diversion is part of the repair exercise.

“We hope to reconstruct the bridge within a week after the stream’s diversion,” KDA assistant director Assad Shahzad Khan told reporters.

He said the stream originated from the snowy water of the Saiful Muluk Lake and fell into the Kunhar River after flowing through Naran town of the Kaghan valley.

The official said the road was closed to heavy traffic for the bridge’s repair and only small vehicles and jeeps were allowed to take tourists to the lake.

“We have deployed traffic wardens ahead of the bridge,” he said.

Mr Khan said since the start of the tourism season last month, the KDA was restoring all link roads and the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road for smooth flow of traffic.

Meanwhile, people from different walks of life held a walk in the Balakot area to mark World Environment Day.

Holding banners and placards, the participants marched on various roads.

The speakers, including former tehsil nazim Junaid Qasim, urged authorities and people to join hands for protecting the environment.

Mr Qasim said people came to the Kaghan valley from across the country and even abroad to have a good time in the soothing environment, so environmental protection was necessary.

BODY RECOVERED: A man was found dead in the Siren River near Shinkiari area here.

The locals saw a human body float in the river and informed the police about it.

The postmortem was conducted in the Shinkiari civil hospital. It was later kept in the mortuary.

SHO of the Shinkiari police station Asim Bukhari said the deceased was identified as Zarbustan Fazl.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2023