Operation launched against encroachments, sewerage lines in Board Bazaar

PESHAWAR: The Canal Task Force on Friday constituted four teams under the supervision of sub-divisional officers of the Irrigation Department to remove encroachments and divert sewerage lines, polluting canals in Peshawar.

The teams comprised of officials of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP), Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), police, town municipal and district administrations.

The teams were formed during the first meeting of Task Force where officials of WSSP, Irrigation and Police Departments, PDA, District Government and TMAs were also present. WSSP Chief Executive Officer Syed Zafar Ali Shah has been named as chairman while director PDA Imtiaz Saleem as deputy chairman of the Task Force. The teams kicked off operation in Board Bazaar where they removed encroachments and warned shopkeepers of crackdown for throwing waste in canals. It was decided to implement the Peshawar High Court order in letter and spirit. In the first phase under a short-term strategy, the operation will be launched against commercial and large sewerage lines by targeting government departments first. Alternative drains would be constructed to take sewerage water and resolve the issue on a permanent basis. Besides, drains constructed on sides of canals would be operationalized and the sewerage lines would be diverted there. In the second round, domestic lines throwing sewerage water in canals would be diverted. The meeting agreed to review PC-I for alternative drains to take domestic sewerage water. It was decided that hospitals would not be allowed to dump chemical waste in the open. The action would be taken against hospitals found throwing waste outside.Members departments would set up a joint pool from available resources if needed. A committee comprising WSSP, PDA and TMAs officials was also constituted to check encroachment in the Board Bazaar.