GUJRAT: A 10-year-old boy drowned in Bhimbher storm water drain on the outskirts of the city while rescuers saved two of his friends on Friday.

A Rescue 1122 official told Dawn three friends, Sultan (13), Abdullah (11) and Tanveer Hussain (10), residents of Jattuwakal along GT Road, went to the water channel to take bath. The water was deep and they started drowning. The rescuers saved Sultan and Abdullah; however, Tanveer could not be saved. His body was handed over to the family.

Meanwhile, two motorcyclists were injured in an accident near Kharian on GT Road.

DESILTING: The Gujrat Municipal Corporation has started desilting the city’s storm water drains after the recent rains exposed the poor sanitation system.

Muhammad Afzal Butt, the chief officer of MC, said heavy machinery and sanitary workers were being used for desilting four major drains of the city, including Shah Hussain Drain, Chah Tarehng Drain and GT Road Drain. Desilting of six more drains was also underway.

Mr Butt said all the four major disposal stations of the city, including Bole, Ratti, Kalara and Narowali, had been fully functional and the staff had been deputed there to monitor drainage of water.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2017