DERA GHAZI KHAN-Despite thousands of public complaints, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to relocate the iron (steel) market situated at congested residential area Block No-4 here.
Workers at iron market are causing noise pollution by using hammer and other machines. Talking to The Nation, a local, Nadeem Malik, criticized the MC authorities, saying MC Mayor Shahid Hameed is totally helpless before the powerful encroachment mafia. "We have given up hope concerning relocation of iron market because the mayor has completely failed to run the department as the corruption mafia, in the guise of white-collar employees, rules the roost in the department," he alleged.
Another local, Ghulam Abbas, said that noise pollution is affecting their health. Excessive and unwanted sounds are imparting bad impact on their psychological and physiological health. "We have facing sleep disturbances, hypertension and high stress level due to noise pollution being caused by iron market," he said.
According to a survey conducted by The Nation, local residents are suffering hardships due to loading and unloading of iron stock in market. Iron-laden trucks and loader motorcycle rickshaw are causing frequent traffic jams and hurdles for pedestrians as well as motorists.
Likewise, a furniture market located on Azmat Road has also become a headache for locals. Display of furniture on roads, loader motorcycle rickshaw and other loading vehicles have become the reason behind frequent gridlocks in the area. But the residents' biggest concern is encroachments that can be witnessed in these markets. Various pedestrians and motorists complained that encroachers in the shape of stalls of fruits, vegetables, shoes and illegal parking by shopkeepers and rickshaw drivers have occupied roads in the markets and even in front of the mayor's office allegedly with the backing of MC officials. These encroachments are causing frequent traffic jams and it is impossible for the pedestrians to walk through these markets. But the administration is least bothered to resolve the public problems.
They demanded DG Khan Deputy Commissioner Ibrahim Junaid take notice of the situation, saying he is only last hope for the district because he is the only one who can do something for his native district by bringing revolutionary changes to the working style of bureaucracy.