BATTAGRAM: Residents of Hotal Batkool union council here have complained about bad shape of local road and lack of health and education facilities and drinking water.

They were speaking at an open kutcheri organised by the district administration at the basic health unit the other day, Kanai. Deputy commissioner Mohammad Farul Saqlain, Allai tehsil nazim Gohar Ali and heads of local departments were also present on the occasion.

The participants said that the BHU Kanai lacked treatment facilities and staff and the people were compelled to take their patients to the main Battagram hospital even for treatment of minor injuries.

They said that the only government girls’ primary school in the area had been closed since 2005 earthquake and there was no one in the local administration and the government to order its reconstruction and opening.

They said that in some areas people had been consuming contaminated water being supplied to them through old and rusty pipes.

The participants showed their concern over the unchecked availability of drugs in the union council area. They urged police to take action against the peddlers.

The people also complained about incorrect meter reading by Wapda officials.

They alleged that in case of fault in power line the officials asked for money to fix it. They also demanded action for removal of garbage dumps and encroachments from the residential areas.

On this occasion, deputy commissioner Mohammad Farul Saqlain assured the people that all of their problems would be resolved as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2017