KOHAT: The Kohat division has received a Covid-19 testing machine, ridding the health authorities of the hassle of sending samples to either Peshawar or Islamabad.

Dr Mohabat, an official of expanded programme on immunisation, said the PCR machine would give results within 12 hours, facilitating the residents of Orakzai, Kurram, Karak and Hangu districts.

He said the machine could test 100 samples at a time.

Hassan Shah, the laboratory in-charge at the KDA Teaching Hospital, told Dawn that the machine was priced at Rs2.5 million.

He said the machine would become operational in a week as it would have a specific room with aluminium doors.

Mr Shah said earlier at a meeting with the deputy commissioner it was decided to demand the machine having capacity to conduct 300 tests at a time, but later the idea was dropped.

He said that on some occasions test reports had to be sent to Islamabad for screening of the staff which took 10 days.

BAN ON GOODS TRANSPORT: District police officer Mansoor Aman has banned entry of trucks and goods transport vehicles in the city during the daytime to control traffic congestion.

He also directed the four circles DSPs and all the SHOs to implement the SOPs for social distancing in the bazaars and ensured people did not gather at shops after the easing of lockdown.

In a statement issued on Sunday, he said stern action should be taken against people not observing social distancing protocols.

He also ordered the wardens to enforce social distancing in local and inter-district public transport.

He also asked for implementing the new fares after decrease in oil prices.

He urged people not to pay high fares to the public transporters and report the matter to the traffic police.

WATER SHORTAGE: The residents of Boraka area have complained about water shortage.

Talking to mediapersons social worker Shakir Bangash said the area had only one well, where water level was so deep that people sometimes spent nights in getting the commodity.

He said according to the contract, the contractor had to dig the well by 210 feet deep but he had left it at 165 feet.

He said the residents had asked the contractor to continue boring till water came out in abundance, but he refused and took away the machinery.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2020