PESHAWAR: Protesting against the Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar for setting up a dumping yard at Garhi Faizullah, the people belonging to various rural localities of the provincial capital on Tuesday blocked Bagh Banan Road and blocked entry of the dumpers into the area. They warned that they would not let the provincial government turn their agriculture land into a garbage yard.

The protesters shouted slogans against the government and vowed to block movement of WSSP vehicles in the entire area if the garbage was dumped anywhere in limits of Urmar area. They said their lands produced a variety of crops and vegetables.

“We have levelled the agriculture farms and set up solar-powered tubewells to earn livelihood for our families, but the government is bent upon snatching bread from our children,” said a protester.

They feared that if the garbage was dumped in Garhi Faizullah then movement of locals would become impossible due to the foul smell and unhygienic conditions. They blamed the officials of the revenue department for the plan to establish garbage dumping yard in the suburban localities.

The protesters dispersed on intervention of the local police, officials of WSSP and district administration. The government officials assured the protesters that the issue would be discussed in a meeting with the Peshawar deputy commissioner on Wednesday (today).

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2018