HYDERABAD, Aug 31: The district Nazim must impose ban on lifting of sand from riverbed as it is dangerous for embankments, said the committee headed by DCO Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri and constituted by district Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil to examine and evaluate consequences of sand lifting.

A meeting was held and presided over by DCO on Thursday. It discussed and examined expert opinion of Sindh Irrigation and Revenue departments and concluded that the ban on lifting sand from riverbed should continue by imposing 144 CrPC.

The committee recommended removing encroachment from second protective dyke and asked to use sand dunes along River Indus downstream Kohisar Housing Project as alternative source to meet requirements of development activities in the city.

The DCO said protection of lives and property of people was the prime objective of district government as such any activity posing threat to the safety of people should be prevented. He directed police and irrigation officers to stop individual or organisation in lifting sand from the bed of Indus River. He said legal action will be taken against those found involved in lifting of sand.

Executive Engineer Phulelli Canal Division Aijaz Shaikh and Manzoor Leghari from the Sindh Irrigation Department said there were two big sites of River Indus from where people were lifting sand.

Sand dunes between Karan Shoro village and River Indus were on the verge of being removed causing depression they said and added water will percolate which was dangerous for embankments and people of area especially during heavy flows.

They said similar position was being experienced at the downstream of Kotri Bridge. The DCO Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri said in addition to recommending to zila Nazim Hyderabad for imposition of 144 CrPC, other administrative support will be provided to the Sindh Irrigation Department to check sand lifting from the bed of River Indus.