SIALKOT, Aug 8: Eightyfive (85) border villages in Bajwat area have been cut off from rest of the district following increase in water in river Tavi, with boatmen not ready to risk their lives in face of strong tides.

District Flood Control Centre incharge Khalid Nawaz Jonda told this correspondent by telephone though there was no gauging system in Tavi to measure flow, water inflow had suddenly increased following rains in catchment areas. He said that all boatmen had stopped boating.

Since the irrigation department had already dismantled a wooden bridge on July 16, as it does before every monsoon, villagers have no means to cross the river and come to the town to sell their goods and purchase their needs.

This is thee 56 years old problem of the villagers who have been calling for a concrete bridge. The area falls in the electoral constituency of National Assembly speaker Ch Ameer Hussain and Punjab minister for industries Muhammad Ajmal Cheema.

About three months ago, on May 09, the speaker and minister had laid foundation stone of a concrete bridge worth Rs 160million and announced that the construction would be completed in a year. But so far work on the project has not been taken in hand.

INQUIRY: On the orders of Lahore High Court, an Anti-Corruption Establishment team will probe against the Daska Tehsil Municipal Administration for allegedly awarding a property transfer fee contract to a favourite contractor.

Contractor Mehmood Ahmad Warraich had alleged in his petition that the Daska TMA awarded the contract to Muneer Gill at a bid of Rs17.2 million in violation of all auction rules and regulations.

He further alleged that he had made the highest bid of Rs22 million, but the Daska TMA awarded the contract to its favourite contractor, causing a financial loss of Rs5 million to the exchequer.

Taking a serious notice, the LHC chief justice directed Punjab ACE director-general Brig Muhammad Aslam Ghuman (retired) to submit a detailed inquiry report to the court on Aug 12 in this regard.

Meanwhile, Gujranwala region's ACE deputy director Chaudhry Muhammad Jamil summoned all the officials concerned and the affected contractors to appear before the inquiry team on Monday (today) and record their statements.