GUJRANWALA, Sept 7: Police on Thursday arrested more than 150 shopkeepers in the district and seized fireworks material worth hundreds of thousands of rupees from their godowns.

Reports said DPO Mian Muhammad Asif had convened a meeting at his office which was attended by SPOs, DSPs, SHOs and directed them to launch a crackdown on shopkeepers who were selling fireworks in markets on the eve of Shab-i-Barat.

He warned the officials that they would be taken to task in case any mishap took place in their jurisdiction.

He said aerial firing and display of fireworks would not be tolerated at any cost.

Later, the police launched a crackdown in the city and adjoining areas of Kamoki, Aimanabad, Ghakkhar town, Wazirabad, Sodara, Qila Dedar Singh, Alipur Chattha, Naushera Virkan and arrested over 150 fireworks dealers.

Citizens have appreciated the district police officer for taking action against fireworks dealers and suggested that they should be kept behind the bar until Shab-i-Barat.

FISH FARMERS: Overflow of water from the Qadirabad barrage has caused about Rs2 billion loss to fish farmers and they have demanded compensation from the government.

According to a report reaching here on Thursday, scores of fish farms had been set up along catchment of the barrage in Alipur Chattha, Qadirabad, Chak Ghazi, Bheroopgarh, Gajer Gola, Biomanga, Mejaki Chattha, Shori Chattha, Hazarat Kalianwala, Chani Murid, Khatiala Sheikhan and adjacent areas. Continuous rains during the last some days overflowed the Qadirabad head as a result of which a large quantity of fish washed away in canals, drains, nullahs and ponds from these farms.

When contacted fisheries department deputy-director Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmad said mostly fish farms had been constructed along the catchment of the barrage which was technically wrong. He pointed out that the depth of a farm should be at least 10 feet but these farms were hardly six feet deep.

He said a report had been forwarded to the government on the loss of fish farmers.