23 May 2004	Sunday	03 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PESHAWAR, May 22: The provincial metropolis was under the grip of strong heatwave for the last few days, causing problems for general public and leaving young students fainted in schools.

According to the Met office, the highest temperature recorded in Peshawar on Saturday was 43 degree centigrade.

A large number of labourers, hit by the heat exhaustion, were brought to the casualty ward of the Khyber Teaching Hospital. The KTH emergency ward has recorded 50 per cent increase in cases of gastroenteritis, said a doctor on duty.

The people were facing immense problem in going out during day time as it was getting hotter and hotter with each passing day. Traffic policemen performing their duty on city roads in scorching heat were finding it hard to stand for long hours under sun.

"Its is so hard to stand out here even under the small shade on the chowks. These days it is humanly impossible to do the job but we are doing our duty", a traffic policeman performing his duty in the Peshawar cantonment area said.

The students enrolled in schools which lack water and power facilities were severely hit by the heatwaves.

In various schools including Islamia Collegiate School some students even fainted due to hot weather and dehydration.

"The schools should be closed down for summer vacation break as the heatwaves were strong this summer and school children were mostly affected by the hot weather", said Shamim Qaiser Khan, a member of the Peshawar district council.

Doctors have advised people to cover their heads with soaked clothes or peacaps while out in the sun. The school going children who usually take eatables from small vendors have also fallen victims to diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, hepatitis, etc.