GUJAR KHAN: The burning heaps of garbage in Gujar Khan city speaks volumes for the apathy of the town municipal administration (TMA) towards provision of civic facilities to the people of this city.

Perhaps, the sanitary workers have taken it their duty to set on fire the garbage and refuse lying at important points of the city as they find it laborious to collect and shift refuse to a proper dumping site.

In the evening, one can see thick clouds of smokes from the burnt garbage engulfing GT Road, Church and Tehsil areas, creating breathing problems for the people residing there.

Dr Ummar Farooq, a general physician in the area, said the smoke led to respiratory diseases in the area.

He further said that children were the worst sufferers.

It was the duty of the municipality to ensure clean environment but practically the situation was totally opposite.

Besides, the town administration has failed to provide even clean drinking water, paved streets and streetlights in the city, he said.

The doctor was not alone in complaining about lack of facilities.

The citizens of Gujar Khan city say they don’t receive water for weeks.

An official of the TMA requesting anonymity said the town administration had given over 900 illegal connections to the people, depriving legal consumers of bulk of water.

Chand Mubeen, acting chief officer of the TMA when contacted said that over 700 illegal water connections had been provided to influential people.

He said when they cut the illegal connection,the next night they restore it.

Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal,president of traders’association, said streetlights in most of the residential areas of Gujar Khan city and at the G.T. Road had become permanently non-functional, which not only caused accidents, but also led to street crimes.

He said no one at the TMA seemed serious in providing basic facilities to the residents.

He demanded the chief minister Punjab to take steps for the improvement of environmental and civic standards of Gujar Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2014