KOHAT, Nov 24: People of Kohat have been facing multifarious problems due to leaking water lines, standing water on the streets, broken roads and stray dogs roaming all over the city, exposing the poor sense of responsibility of the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA).

Citizens say that despite repeated complaints and regular payment of taxes, they have been denied healthy environment and essential facilities of life.

There is nobody to take to task the TMA and public health engineering (PHE) officials responsible for violating the laid down procedures in replacement of 60-year-old pipelines.

Within one year of the completion of the project costing Rs50 million, the new pipelines have started leaking at hundreds of places inundating the already battered roads and streets, which were affected by torrential rains in July-August this year.

If this was not enough the unchecked construction of speed breakers and security barriers have added to the woes of people.

Patients trying to reach the district headquarters hospital and students of several schools are the worst sufferers due to the broken roads, as they have to daily pass through areas such as Shah Faisal Gate, government degree girls college road, main bazaar and Miankhel bazaar and Hangu road.

In good old days the TMA had a separate department for killing stray dogs. Perhaps, the allocations made for the meat and poison used in the elimination of such dogs is also being embezzled like repair and maintenance funds.

The job is now left to people who care for the safety of their children and pet animals.

A few days back 12-year-old Hayat died of rabies in Jarma area as his parents could not vaccinate him in time.

During Eid holidays a dog bit several children and sacrificial animals in Muhallah Sikandar Khan Shaheed, Qazi Muhallah, Muhallah Mian Badshah and Izzat Khel area within the city limits, causing huge losses to people.

A number of people have to slaughter their infected animals before Eid. The dog was later shot and killed by people themselves.

The presence of thousands of stray dogs on the city roads near the meat shops are posing a great danger to people’s lives. These dogs attack families, children and motorcyclists who often meet accidents in panic.

People who once used to take morning and evening walks are now afraid of going to Company Park ground, which has become a breeding place for dogs.

The repeated complaints lodged by people and the business community failed to move the TMA officials and now they wonder whom to approach for solution of their problems.