July 23, 2007	Monday	Rajab 07, 1428

SIALKOT, July 22: Fast eroding banks of the BRB Canal, Daska, and dilapidated roads along the canal are a serious threat to people’s lives, but the authorities concerned have failed to check erosion or repair the roads.

The Irrigation Department is responsible for checking erosion of canal banks and the Highway Department is responsible for taking care of roads, but in this case both departments are negligent about their duties.

People have shown concern over this inattention of the two departments and said that they were probably waiting for something ominous to happen before taking measures against erosion and repairing the broken roads.

Two years ago, a passenger van plunged into the canal and eight people were killed. The van suffered an accident on the road and then fell into the canal because the banks had been eroded.

Taking note of this accident, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had ordered development of the canal banks, but the authorities have yet to implement this order.

The canal, which was dug during the British rule, has narrow banks-cum-roads, but they have not been taken care of after the end of British era.

Since then, no federal, provincial or district government allocated funds for the repair of these banks-cum-roads. But now they need attention on a priority basis.