BAHAWALPUR: Local environment department claimed to have recovered a large quantity of infectious hospital waste from a private junkyard at Khanqah Sharif town near the city.

According to Environment Assistant Director Ansar Abbas, on a tip-off, a department team conducted a raid on the junkyard owned by one Zubair, recovering a large quantity of hospital waste.

The department moved an application to Sammsatta police for the registration of a case against Zubiar and his arrest, besides initiating an inquiry to know the origin of the waste and the hospital officials, if any, involved in the scam.

There is a ban on sale and use of hospital waste for recycling because of its infectious contents.

Meanwhile, a team of FIA, Bahawalpur Circle, claimed to have arrested two officials; one of the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) and the other of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), over bribery charges.

As per the FIA, Zulfiqar of Sadiqabad Mepco and Imran of SNGPL, allegedly accepted Rs20,000 bribe each from complainants – Tariq Nadeem and Nemat Ali, respectively.

Both officials were shifted to the FIA police station here for investigation.

FREE FLOUR: After a day’s break on Friday, the free distribution of flour resumed at over 20 distribution centres across the district Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zaheer Awar Jappa, who visited various distribution points in the city, said that as many as 1.2 million bags of free flour have so far been distributed among the deserving persons in the district.

He claimed the district administration officials were distributing the flour bags in an orderly manner to the satisfaction of the recipients, particularly the senior citizens and women.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2023