KOHAT: The local traders have voluntarily agreed to remove encroachments in front of their shops to free space for easy movement of pedestrians.

The agreement came at a meeting with the chief municipal officer Mohammad Shoeb on Sunday. The participants agreed that if any trader occupied the space in front of his shop, he would be fined and sent to jail.

It may be recalled that six months ago an anti-encroachment operation was carried out in all the bazaars in the district. But after lapse of a few weeks, the traders started reoccupying the places cleared of encroachments.

It is interesting to note that the traders even reconstructed concrete structures in front of their shops, which were demolished during the operation.

TEACHERS’ COMPLAINTS: Teachers have alleged that some of their colleagues skirt duties during every anti-polio campaign as they are the blue-eyed boys of the concerned officers.

They told Dawn on condition of anonymity on Sunday that the officers spared those from performing vaccination duty who had connections.

They suggested that as there were thousands of jobless male and female youngsters in the district, they could be employed to not only ensure success of the vaccination campaigns but also to help them earn honourable living.

They said that it wasn’t teachers’ job to carry out vaccination drives as it affected education of children.

SHORTAGE OF SCHOOLS: There are no schools in 30 villages while 24 primary schools have been functioning in rented buildings of Kohat district since 1929.

This was disclosed by speakers at a function here the other day.

They said that most schools had shortage of rooms and were without boundary wall, and urged the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government to improve education infrastructure in the district.

Published in Dawn, September 15th , 2014