SAHIWAL: Scores of gypsy men and women on Wednesday blocked Lahore-Multan National Highway for two hours near Basti Shaikain Wali, 112/12-L, after their eight makeshift tent houses were gutted in a blaze allegedly because of negligence of Chichawatni Municipal Corporation employees.

Carrying bamboos and sticks, the protesters chanted slogans against sanitary Chichawatni MC employees, alleging they carelessly dumped burning solid waste near the gypsies’ dwelling, resulting in a massive fire that gutted eight tents, with household items and valuables.

The protesters blocked the National Highway throwing traffic out of gear for two hours.

According to officials, the MC sanitary staff had dumped the solid waste at the approved disposal site.

However, some eyewitnesses said that smoke was rising from the solid waste when it was dumped at the site that was not far from the gypsies dwelling.

They said the fire erupted in the solid waste that was carried to the gypsies’ tents by the heavy winds blowing in the area. As a result, eight of the tents were gutted.

They said the gypsies controlled the fire on self-help basis, otherwise it would have engulfed more tents.

Some gypsies claimed that dowry of two girls was also burnt, including clothes, bags and utensils. Those whose tents were gutted are Anwar, Zahoor, Aslem, Sarbuland and Muhammad Hussain.

Chichawatni Assistant Commissioner Qasir Azim and MC Chairman Rana Muhammad Ajmal, rushed to the spot and negotiated with the protesters.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Amjad Javed Kambhoo told Dawn it was decided during negotiations hat the gypsies would be compensated for their losses.

The MC chairman assured them that an inquiry would be conducted into the incident and if corporation employees were found guilty disciplinary action would be taken against them.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2018