KOHAT: The authorities here have agreed to use the natural springs of Junglekhel passing through various canals in cantonment for multiple purposes, including developing sites for tourism and breeding fish.

Additional assistant commissioner Tahir Ali on Friday visited the springs and canals along with officials of army, cantonment board and irrigation department and decided to stop wastage of the precious spring water.

They inspected various sites, including the source of springs and routes of its canals, which could be utilised for building swimming pools, fishing and storage for drinking purposes.

There had been a long-running dispute between the district administration and cantonment board over the ownership of the springs due to which it could not be utilised for any purpose and the water was wasted.

During the tenure of former governor retired Lt-Gen Iftikhar Hussain Shah a proposal was floated to construct at least two water tanks in the nearby company park for solving the problem of water shortage and swimming pools, but it could not be materialised. Mr Ali said that the feasibility report had been submitted to the deputy commissioner and work would start soon.

FOOD PRICES: The district administration has taken oath from butchers to avoid price hike and sell meat of halal and healthy animals only.

The development came after the additional assistant commissioner visited the meat shops on Bannu Road. He took the oath from butchers on stamp papers. He also visited other shops and warned the traders against profiteering and creating artificial shortage of food items. The warnings were given because shopkeepers were not following the rates agreed at the price review committee meeting.

The people demanded of the local administration to assign duties to the officials of tehsil municipal administration, additional assistant commissioners and magistrates to check the prices in the peak morning and afternoon hours.

Also, assistant commissioner Gul Bano held a second round of talks with the fruit and vegetable market owner, Shahbaz Gul Shinwari, and asked him to lower the rates of items for the Sasta bazaar established for Ramazan.

Meanwhile, traders at Bazaar-i-Mustafa complained that every now and then power supply was suspended for hours due to which they could not keep the meat fresh and safe from flies in the hot weather. On Thursday, the electricity was suspended at 9am and was not restored till 12pm, exposing the meat to immense heat and dryness.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2018