MANSEHRA: The district administration has banned boating in the Saiful Muluk lake in line with the directives of the provincial government.

An order issued by deputy commissioner Aurangzeb Haider here the other day said ferries caused pollution in the lake, so he had imposed a ban on boating there to address that challenge to environment.It said the divisional forest officer, Mansehra, had informed him through a written letter that the secretary of the forestry, environment and wildlife department ordered him in a recent visit to Naran area to stop boating in the lake to preserve its scenic beauty and address pollution.

“I ban boating [in the lake] under the powers conferred upon me under CRPC Section 144 with an immediate effect. It should be given wide publicity and anyone, who contravenes it, should be taken to justice under the relevant sections of the law,” he said.

Abdul Basit, the range officer of the wildlife department for national parks, where the Saiful Muluk Lake falls, said his department had allowed only 24 ferries to operate in the lake but over 50 took to the lake.

He complained that the police didn’t act against ferry operators hampering efforts to preserve the lake.

PROTEST: The All Employees’ Coordination Council, Hazara division, has warned that street protests will be staged in Abbottabad next Thursday to claim pay raise in accordance with inflation.

“Employees of all departments will take to the streets in Abbottabad on Sept 3 to protest if the government doesn’t increase our salaries,” council leader Sajid Jehangiri told reporters here on Thursday.

He said government employees from upper parts of Hazara division would take part in the protest against the government’s economic policies formulated on the pressure of international lenders.

Mr Jehangiri said for the first time in decades, the prices of essential goods had increased significantly but the government employees hadn’t got pay raise.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2020