KOHAT, Nov 30: Choked gutters and drains continue to spew filth and stinking smell in different parts of the city though cleanliness always remained a priority item on the agenda of tehsil municipal administration for years.

In past, the district administration had to declare emergency twice in the city’s hospitals due to spread of gastroenteritis among people, which was caused by mixing of filth with drinking water in the broken supply pipelines.

Unfortunately, all this is happening in the proper city where the big bosses sit. Situation in the suburban localities is no different.

The smell from the main sewerage line, which was laid through the city as part of billions of rupees ADB project for construction of a urea factory, has become unbearable for the dwellers.

The main line is blocked at several points from where thieves have stolen manhole covers.

The TMA has been callously allowing construction of commercial plazas and shops in the residential areas in violation of rules.

As a result, trucks and tractors enter the streets while transporting construction material and damage the drains.

Moreover, the leftover material like pieces of bricks, sand and cement are dropped into the sewerage line completely blocking it.

The stream (Kohat Toi) from where the people would once fetch drinking water has become the dirtiest place in the city.

Flush systems have been opened in it and it has also been encroached by illegal housing colonies, leaving little way for water to flow out during floods. Some of the colonies belong to former MPs.

The Shah Faisal Gate and Tehsil Gate entrances besides timber and chicken market are some of the places which turn into pools soon after rain.

The TMA says that the task of removing garbage of cantonment and KDA Township has overburdened its staff and the administrators of these two areas should deploy their own scavengers and vehicles to clean the places.

The problems of drinking water, sewerage and bumpy roads must be solved on priority basis.

It is time that the TMA should start a drive for solution of these problems in all the affected areas.