KASUR, Feb 7: Hundreds of acres of agricultural land and dozens of houses were inundated by an overflowing drain carrying contaminated water of tanneries and the rainwater in Dollaywala village, some five kilometer from here, on Monday.

A two kilometer stretch of the newly-constructed main Deepalpur Road was also submerged by the overflowing drain.

Reports said that the treatment plant had almost been non-functional for the last couple of years.

Tanneries are required to pump out the contaminated water to a treatment plant before finally flushing it into the Pandoki drain. But since the treatment plant is not functioning properly, tanneries are disposing of all the contaminated water and the solid waste directly into the drain, causing it to overflow.

The Monday's rain led to overflow of the drain and the contaminated water entered the fields besides submerging dozens of houses. LOOTED: Nine armed bandits deprived a family of gold, cash and other valuables worth Rs1.6 million at Nathay Khalsa village in the limits of Phoolnagar police station on Monday.

Reports said that gunmen barged into the house of Ashfaq Ahmed and held the family hostage.

The intruders collected 35 tolas of gold, Rs20,000 in cash, some licensed weapons and cell phones and decamped with the booty.

Police have registered a case against the accused.