Khushab’s tourist spots plagued by civic woes

Hazardous LPG refilling, encroachments spread unchecked

KHUSHAB:

Residents and visitors to the picturesque Nowshera tehsil of Khushab district are facing civic problems due to lack of attention from the local administration.

The picturesque valley has for long attracted tourists because of its natural beauty and more temperate climate as compared to the rest of Punjab.

A local social activist, Shehbaz Awan, said while speaking to The Express Tribune that basic facilities could be provided to the residents without much expenses and they were only suffering because of inefficiency of the officials concerned.

He said a pressing concern was the reliance of the residents of Nowshera town and its suburbs on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for cooking. Consequently, shops supplying the cylinders have proliferated in the bustling markets and densely populated areas, posing a risk to the local people.

He said several outlets were illegally operating substandard gas refilling business with subpar equipment and without adequate expertise in cramped shops, posing a risk of cylinder explosion and fire.

Awan said the LPG filling shops situated in populated areas should be relocated to deserted areas and made to adhere to the safety standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Another resident, Imran Awan, said persistence of encroachments despite sporadic action at Takbir Chowk and other locations was another major problem faced by the residents.

The encroachments on main roads return shortly after the government action against them.

The streets in the markets have unchecked encroachments by shopkeepers with even pedestrians struggle to navigate.

The shops of women’s cloth, garments, jewellery and ornaments have encroached on the streets from both sides.

On the other hand, the Y Cross Chowk has kiosks and carts causing inconvenience to shoppers in accessing the shops.

The encroachments also cause difficulties for patients going to the hospitals in the city despite short distances. Illegal rickshaw and taxi parking stands at the chowk exacerbate the problems.

The locality has three big educational institutions in proximity, resulting in chaotic traffic conditions during school drop-off and pick-up times. Most of the schools, except for one, are private, occupying small, rented houses that do not comply with regulations. Despite this, they have received approval from the relevant authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2023.