KOHAT: Residents of various localities of the city are getting polluted water for over two weeks and the local administration has failed to fix the problem despite repeated requests by the people.

The affected areas include Bangashabad, Mohallah Mian Badshah, Mohallah Shino Khel, Garhi Dhodewal and boys’ school no 1. According to residents, the supply of muddy water is casing stomach diseases.

The local people also invited MPA Ziaullah Bangash to the affected parts of the city and showed him the muddy water coming from taps. The lawmaker ordered the accompanying chief municipal officer to immediately solve the problem by replacing the broken pipelines.

He also ordered the administration to stop the owners of the orchards from making holes in the pipeline to water their fields.

SALARY RAISE DEMANDED: The Lachi tehsil municipal administration workers on Friday demanded fixation of their salary at Rs12,000 as announced by the government.

The workers association’s secretary general Sadiq Nawaz, speaking at a meeting said that past governments had made appointments on political basis and fixed salaries from Rs5,000 to Rs6,000 only.

He said that some workers had been appointed 12 to 13 years back, but they were drawing meager salaries. He demanded that the government increase their minimum wage to Rs12,000.

He pointed out that the government had also stopped promotions of moharars and tube well operators, and warned that if their demands were not accepted they would stage a sit-in outside the municipal committee office.

PARAMEDICS ANNOUNCE STRIKE: The paramedics association, Kohat has announced to observe strike from Sept 15 against government failure to award them time scale promotion and health professional allowance.

This was decided at a meeting of paramedics association at Liaquat Memorial Hospital chaired by Rashid Bokahri. The participants decided to only provide services at the emergency. The meeting appointed Noor Sahib Khan as chairman of the strike committee.

SCHOOL UPGRADED: The government has upgraded a girls’ school to higher secondary and approved two primary and middle schools in the city.

MPA Ziaullah Bangash approved construction of a girls’ primary school at the available space at the government high school number-1 during a visit. District education officer (female) Rizwana Liaquat also accompanied him.

Similarly, an open space near old jail building was approved for construction of girls’ middle school.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2014