19 arrested in police raid

RAWALPINDI, July 10: As many as 19 persons, including 14 women, were arrested on Sunday after a police team raided a prostitution den in Gulraiz Colony, police said.

On a tip-off, a police team led by SI Sikander Hayat raided the prostitution den and arrested 14 women and five men. Police said the owner of the den said he had been paying Rs25,000 to a constable for giving them protection.

Police officials said they were facing pressure from some influential persons to free the accused. — Staff Reporter

Poultry meat out of reach

TAXILA, July 10: Price of chicken, which has been rising for two weeks, touched record high of Rs165 per kg in the markets of Taxila and Wah Cantonment this weekend.

Consumers say the price spiral started with the start of the new financial year. In the third week of June, price of chicken was Rs135 per kg but after July 1, they say, it jumped to Rs150.

Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed, an office bearer of the poultry association, said there was a decline of 25 per cent in the sale of chicken as consumers were reluctant to buy chicken meat at abnormal rates. He said unusual rise in the chicken rates also had a negative impact on the demand factor as a result majority of the retailers had reduced their daily purchases from poultry farms. He said increase in the cost of poultry feed caused a rise in chicken prices and it would jump to Rs190-200 per kg,” he added. — Our Correspondent

H-10 garbage dump

ISLAMABAD, July 10: The garbage dumped at the sector H-10 is posing serious health hazards especially during the monsoon season for the people in general and the residents of the sectors apposite to the area in particular.

Heaps of garbage lying in an open area of H-10 sector opposite to the two residential sectors, G-10 and G-11, are creating health hazards and exposing citizens to diseases.

“H-10 sector has been converted into a filth depot because of dumping of garbage by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). It is just near to Islamabad High Court (IHC) in G-10 Sector,” Ahsaan Malik, a resident said.

He said open dumping of waste across the Kashmir Highway was a serious health hazard for the residents of Sector G-10.

“Pollution is creating irritation, tension, headache and depression among residents of the area besides giving rise to waterborne diseases, said Dr Naseer, an employee of a private hospital. He said there was a dire need for a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework for solid waste management as open garbage dumps and drinking water pollution could result in outbreak of epidemics in the city.

He regretted that despite tall claims of the authorities concerned for launching of diverse projects for protecting environment, no proper system for disposal of soiled waste could have been developed.

In recent years, waste-to-energy technologies have been developed to produce clean energy through the combustion of municipal solid waste in especially designed power plants equipped with the most modern pollution control equipment to clean the emissions.

This project had been under consideration of the Ministry of Environment, which could not only produce energy in the form of electricity or heat from litter, but also help in managing tons of garbage of the country. — APP