June 12, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 26, 1428

GUJRANWALA, June 11: The district administration has sealed small factories set up in various parts of the city for “creating environment pollution”. District Coordination Officer Manzer Hayat stated this at a meeting held in his office here on Monday.

The meeting was told that people have set up factories in their houses where they prepared chemicals which caused environment pollution. The DCO ordered sealing of these factories.

He also warned the management of a paper mills in Khiali Shahpur to control emission.

The meeting also issued notices to hospitals for creating pollution.

The EDO (municipal services), EDO (health), DO (environment) and other senior officer attended the meeting.

Transporters:Public transport vehicle owners expressed resentment against traffic police for impounding their vehicles, arresting drivers and issuing fine tickets on minor mistakes.

Some transporters alleged on Monday that action against them was being taken to benefit the franchised bus owners under the supervision of traffic DSP and other officers.

They said their vehicles were released after two or three days even after paying the fine immediately.

They claimed that the drivers of franchised buses violated laws but traffic police ignored them.

Franchised buses were indulging in overloading and parking on the road but the traffic police did not fine them, they added.

They maintained that an inspector of Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and motor vehicle examiner were also favouring the franchised bus owners.

They accused traffic police of misusing their powers and minting money.

They demanded an impartial inquiry into the alleged malpractice of traffic police and action against the officials found indulging in corruption.

Meanwhile, the city traffic police confirmed that 31,411 fine tickets were issued, 3,750 vehicles were impounded and Rs4.8 million fine was recovered in the month of May.

According to chief traffic officer, cases had been registered against 104 vehicles while route permits of 42 vehicles were cancelled and 41 driving licences were suspended.

He said 1,332 buses, 2,610 wagons, 11,489 auto and motorcycles rickshaws, 27 taxi cabs, 285 luxury buses, 220 trucks, 320 tractor-trolleys, 1,335 pick-ups, 13,018 motorcycles and 780 cars were issued fine tickets during the month.

A DSP said a policy has been formed in a meeting that any public transport vehicle impounded on the GT Road would not be released before two days at any cost.

POLICE CLAIM: The regional police claimed on Monday to have arrested 102 members of 30 gangs, 765 proclaimed offenders and 599 court absconders besides tracing 135 robberies in May.

According to police, they recovered looted goods worth Rs10 million and illicit arms from their possession during a special drive launched against them.

They said at least five criminals involved in kidnap for ransom cases and other heinous crime were killed while four arrested after encounters. Eighteen Kalashnikovs, 161 rifles, 66 revolvers, 427 pistols, 23 carbines and 3,366 bullets besides huge quantity of contraband were recovered.

CYLINDER EXPLOSION: Five people, including a gas cylinder dealer, suffered injuries in a cylinder explosion on Nowshera Road on Monday.

Amjad Haroon was busy decanting when one of the cylinders exploded. Amjad, Ejaz, Sarwar and his sons Zaid, 10, and Amjad, 12, suffered burn injuries. They were rushed to the DHQ hospital from where Ejaz and Amjad Haroon were shifted to Mayo Hospital, Lahore, due to serious condition.

Baghbanpura police are investigating.