LOWER DIR: Owners of stone crushing plants here on Tuesday threatened to block the Swat Expressway in Chakdara in protest against their alleged harassment through the officials of environment and industries department.

Speaking at a press conference at Chakdara Press Club, Crushing Plant Owners Association’s divisional president Rehmat Ali, general secretary Mubarak Shah, district president Ainullah, Adenzai tehsil president Koti Bacha and others said that about 67,000 workers were associated with the stone crushing business in Malakand division.

They alleged that despite clear directives of the commissioner Malakand division, the local administration in Dir harassed them. They said that scores of crushing plants in the region had already been sealed while owners of others were being harassed through the officials of environment and industries department.

They said the owners had secured the no-objection certificate from the concerned department before installing the crushing plants. They demanded the government to take notice of the matter and stop their harassment. The owners warned to block the Swat Expressway in Chakdara if their demand was not accepted.

ROAD ACCIDENT: At least 10 people, including women and children, were injured when a passenger coach skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine amid heavy fog at Walai Kandao in the jurisdiction of Balambat police station here on Tuesday, residents and police said.

The injured were taken to the DHQ hospital, Timergara.

Meanwhile, Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority’s director vigilance Syed Inamullah supervised an operation against encroachments at Walai Kandao here on Tuesday.

Talking to mediapersons after the operation, Mr Inam said that nine kanals had been retrieved from the grabbers and handed over to PKHA. He claimed that a flyover would be constructed on this land. He said that the project had been in the pipeline for resolution of traffic problems in the area.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2021