MANSEHRA: The downpour-induced flash flooding damaged a major bridge and a mosque in Darband area here on Friday suspending traffic between Oghi tehsil and neighbouring Torghar district.

Floodwater also entered houses but no damage to public life was reported.

As the flash flood hit Jodan Nullah area and damaged a major bridge, travellers got stranded on the Oghi-Darband Road.

Deputy commissioner Bilal Shahid Rao told reporters that the administration had sent a team to the area along with excavators to reopen the artery.

“We’re striving to rehabilitate infrastructure besides ensuring speedy compensation payment to the families, whose members were killed in house collapse incidents,” he said.

DC says efforts on to reopen road

The DC also said patwaris were carrying out damage assessment surveys.

The current spell of monsoon rains in Hazara division began on Saturday and continued on Friday intermittently. Twelve people, mostly children and women, have so far lost life in separate incidents.

The downpour destroyed a cattle pen in Oghi tehsil killing around a dozen animals.

Assistant commissioner Saleem Khan ordered livestock officials to visit the area for damage assessment.

Meanwhile, over a dozen bodies, which were exposed by heavy rain in a Chania graveyard, were shifted to and buried in another commentary in the area.

Meanwhile, parliamentary secretary for interior and MNA Mohammad Sajjad Awan on Friday said mega development projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Hazara division would be completed as scheduled.

“For the first time, a prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif] visited Torghar and other parts of Hazara division and inaugurated mega development projects for the socioeconomic well-being of the people,” Mr Awan told reporters here.

The parliamentary secretary said the federal government had also approved a small hydropower project in Shahtot area of Oghi tehsil and ordered the release of funds for it.

TRAINING: The Frontier Constabulary has trained the forest department’s patrol squads in effective crackdown on illegal tree felling in Hazara division.

“Now, you know how to hold and fire weapons, so you should effectively stop people from unlawfully chopping down trees in your respective areas,” FC district officer Pari Gul Tareen told patrol officials during the concluding ceremony held for the two-week training programme at the FC district headquarters in Oghi here.

The trainees belonged to Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, and Kolai-Palas districts.

Divisional forest officer Saeed Wazir said Hazara was rich in “green gold,” so the incidents of illegal tree felling and wood smuggling happened in local forests.

“Now, our personnel can effectively respond to gun attacks by illegal woodcutters and smugglers,” he said.

Trained officials later exhibited their skills receiving applause from instructors.

Ms Tareen and Mr Wazir gave away certificates and cash awards to them.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2023