Citizens complain of missing Suthra Punjab staff

SARGODHA: Residents in parts of Sargodha have complained of prolonged sanitation problems, saying Suthra Punjab staff have remained absent from rural localities for months while sewage and garbage have accumulated in streets and drains.

People living in Chak 90 South said drains, streets and neighbourhoods had not been cleaned for several months. They said blocked drains had led to sewage water collecting in the area and reaching the foundations of houses, causing damage. Residents also said garbage had been left lying in streets because waste was not being removed from designated points, adding that repeated complaints had not produced any action.

Similar complaints were also reported from the PP-74 constituency, where residents said Suthra Punjab workers had not been seen for several months. They further alleged that some workers of the authority had instead been deployed at the homes of certain favoured individuals.

Locals called on the Sargodha commissioner and the deputy commissioner to take notice of what they described as negligence by Suthra Punjab officials.

Suthra Punjab response

Speaking to Dawn, Sargodha tehsil Suthra Punjab spokesperson Mian Maqsood rejected the residents’ account and said the situation had developed because of the negligence and careless attitude of local people. He said sewage water continued to collect despite desilting because residents were throwing garbage into drains.

Maqsood also said that dump sites in villages had been illegally occupied and buildings had been constructed on them. He added that complaints had been received regarding the negligence of some workers, but said the relevant supervisors were not available at the time to comment on the matter.

Donkey cart owners stage protest

In a separate development, donkey cart owners held a protest against a ban on their entry into Sargodha city. The protesters brought their carts outside the municipal corporation office and chanted slogans against the restriction.

The demonstrators said the municipal corporation was trying to take away their means of earning by preventing them from entering the city. They also claimed that, because of the ban, cart drivers were being rounded up in different parts of the city.

Traders object to Eid cattle market charge

Meanwhile, citizens in Sargodha criticised a Rs4,000 charge imposed on the purchase of sacrificial animals at cattle markets, describing it as extortion and urging the government to withdraw it immediately.

Anjuman Tajran President Rana Sajjad Haider, Information Secretary Sheikh Naeem Tahir and General Secretary Chaudhry Zeeshan Khaliq said the Rs4,000 per animal slip for the purchase of large animals at Eid cattle markets was unjustified and called on the government to intervene.

The developments highlight a series of civic and municipal grievances raised by residents, transport workers and traders in Sargodha, ranging from sanitation and waste management to restrictions affecting livelihoods and charges at seasonal livestock markets.