SARGODHA: Citizens are complaining that the employees of Suthra Punjab have been absent from rural areas whereas sewage water has started entering the foundations of people’s houses.

Residents of Chak 90 South of Sargodha claimed that despite the passage of several months, the Suthra Punjab workers had not cleaned the streets, neighbourhoods and drains in the area.

They claimed that due to the drains not being cleaned, sewage water had started accumulating in the area, damaging the foundations of their houses.

There were piles of garbage in the streets as garbage was not being removed from allocated areas, they said.

They said that no action had been taken despite several complaints about the situation.

In the PP-74 constituency, residents have also complained of a similar situation and said that Suthra Punjab workers have been absent for several months. They claimed that a few workers of the authority were seen deployed at the homes of some ‘favoured’ individuals.

Locals have demanded that the Sargodha commissioner and the DC take notice of the negligence of the Suthra Punjab officials.

Talking to Dawn, Sargodha tehsil Suthra Punjab spokesperson Mian Maqsood claimed that the situation arose due to the negligence and careless attitude of the residents.

He said that despite desilting, the sewage water accumulated as people dumped garbage in the drain.

Moreover, he claimed that dump sites in each village had been illegally occupied and buildings were erected there.

He said that some complaints had been received about the negligence of some workers but the supervisors concerned were not available at this time to comment in this regard.

PROTEST: Donkey cart owners staged a protest against the ban on their entry into Sargodha city.

The protesters gathered their carts outside the municipal corporation office and raised slogans against the ban on the entry of donkey carts into the city.

They said that the municipal corporation authorities were trying to deprive them of their livelihood by stopping their entry into the city.

They claimed that because of the ban, cart drivers were being rounded up around the city.

TAX: The citizens of Sargodha have termed charging Rs4,000 on the purchase of sacrificial animals at the cattle markets as extortion and demanded the government to immediately abolish this tax.

Anjuman Tajran President Rana Sajjad Haider, Information Secretary Sheikh Naeem Tahir, and General Secretary Chaudhry Zeeshan Khaliq termed the Rs4,000 per animal slip for the purchase of large animals at the Eid cattle markets as extortion and demanded the government to take notice of the situation.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2026