KOHAT: Residents and office workers here have been getting contaminated water because in most of the areas overhead water tanks have not been cleaned for years.

The broken pipelines in different city areas was another problem, posing health risks to the people, including school students and office workers. The residents said that small gauge pipes had been used which were repaired at different places by binding rubber around the ruptured parts.

Talking to this scribe, Abdur Rauf advocate complained about contaminated water on the district courts premises, saying that the tap water was also unreliable. He said that a filtration plant was installed there sometime back, but it was dysfunctional now.

Dr Zainul Abideen, who works in Liaquat Memorial Hospital, said that he had to bring drinking water with him because the tanks in the area had not been cleansed for decades. The residents said that water pipelines laid down just a few inches below the ground surface a few years ago had ruptured at several places.

They said that they were getting polluted water having dirt particles, which was not fit for consumption. They said that following complaints they were told by the TMA officials that the broken pipes would be replaced, but no practical steps were taken in this regard. Moreover, the pipelines had been laid over the surface in bazaars and streets, which are exposed to damage by vehicles.

CHEMISTS STRIKE: Patients continued to face shortage of medicines on the second day of the chemists’ strike here on Wednesday.

A member of druggist association told this scribe that they had been warned that anyone opening medical store would be fined Rs100,000. However, the people were guided to visit the pharmacy of CMH for medicines which provided remedy to the patients to some extent.

Meanwhile, the election staff was administered oath of their offices for the 2018 general elections on Wednesday. District returning officer/district and sessions judge, Kohat, Mohammad Shoeb took oath from the returning officers and assistant returning officers of NA-31 and three provincial assembly constituencies of PK-80, PK-81 and PK-82.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2018