HARIPUR, Feb 2: District Nazim Yousaf Ayub Khan has threatened to shut down industrial units that are causing environmental hazards and flouting internationally accepted standards and the country’s laws.
“I will not hesitate to seal those cement manufacturing units of Hattar that are polluting the environment and emitting dust into the air,” Mr Khan told a public gathering at Shadi village on Wednesday.
The district nazim said that the people of Hattar, Shadi and adjoining areas had complained about the hazardous dust particles emitted by two cement manufacturing plants of Hattar.
He called upon the two plants to fix their electro precipitator system without delay. “If that is not done, action will be initiated against them under the country’s environment laws and both the units will be sealed off,” he said.
Mr Khan said that he had always supported industrialization because it was imperative for the economy, but he made it clear that development at the cost of the eco-system was not acceptable and polluters would be dealt with an iron hand.
In response to a demand, the district nazim said that two irrigation and water supply tube-wells would be supplied to Hattar and Shadi villages.
Nazim UC Hattar Malik Muhammad Akram also addressed the gathering.
KILLED: A taxi driver and another person were killed in separate incidents here on Wednesday evening.
Saddar police said that unidentified men took a taxi-cab ride (IDE-3170) from Haripur and stole the vehicle after killing the driver. The driver’s body was found dumped at a deserted place near Pind Hasham Khan village. The victim was identified as Abdul Waheed, son of Abdul Aziz Swati, resident of Sikandarpur.
Police said that the driver was shot dead when he presumably put up resistance.
In the other incident, one Riaz was shot at and critically injured by unidentified attackers in the jurisdiction of City police station.
The injured man was shifted by the police to the DHQ hospital, from where he was referred to Ayub Medical Complex, Abbottabad. But the man died on the way to the hospital, police and family sources of the deceased said.
The police claimed to have found a 12 bore repeater rifle and a dagger close to the man lying wounded on Gehr Khan road.
DEATH SENTENCE: An additional district and sessions judge on Wednesday sentenced a man to death for killing a Wapda official.
According to prosecution, Banaras, a lineman at the Wapda grid station Kangra, Haripur, was shot dead by guard Noor Zaman with his official Kalashnikov over a petty dispute on April 28, 2004.
On completion of arguments and evidence from the two sides, Additional District and Sessions Judge Syed Zamurad Shah Qadri convicted the accused and awarded him the death penalty and a fine of Rs100,000 to be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased.