CHARSADDA, May 20: The town municipal administration has issued notices to 800 owners of houses, petrol pumps and schools for illegal constructions along the river banks in Charsadda district.

The TMA, through a notification issued on Friday, directed the owners who have raised structures near the river banks to remove the encroachments or face legal action.

About 800 people were issued notices, a TMA official said, adding, all types of construction including houses, pumps and schools inside 200 feet area along both sides of the river had been prohibited and violators would be dealt with strictly.

The TMA officials said the action was taken to protect the people from floods and rivers from encroachments. They recalled that human and material losses in the last year's flash flood were due to the illegal construction of buildings and encroachments along the banks of the river in the district.

They said the losses in future could be minimised if the orders were followed in letter and sprit.

The officials said all illegal buildings along the river banks would be demolished if the owners ignored the notification. They said the action would be started soon.

BUSTED: The Charsadda police arrested two members of an inter-provincial car snatching gang and recovered five vehicles on leads provided by them.

DPO Nisar Ali Marwat and SHO Rohan Zeb told media persons that during a road blockade a police party signaled a suspected car near Sardaryab but they turned the vehicle on alternative Hassankhel branch road. The police chased the vehicle and arrested accused Welayat of Hrayana Battagram and Haider Ali alias Pahlawan of Hassan Ghari, Peshawar. The police also recovered two pistols from them.

They told police that they were members of inter-provincial gang of car snatchers.

They revealed the names of seven other accomplices. Police said nine vehicles were still in their possession, which would soon be recovered.