Manhole casualties

SIALKOT, April 14: The open manholes in almost all localities of the city have left several people severely injured, crippling some of them for whole life. A majority of manholes are without lids on main roads, including Pakka Garha, Gohdpur Road, Kutchery Road, Jail Road, Paris Road, Hajipura Road, Circular Road, Khadim Ali Road, Capital Road, Abbott Road, Pasrur Road and Stadium Road. Arms and legs of dozens of people, including women and children, have fractured after motorcycles they were traveling on fell in these uncapped manholes. The officials concerned of the tehsil municipal administration have never bothered to address the situation. Citizens Rights Forum chairman Dr Muhammad Muneer Butt told reporters that TMA officials had turned a blind eye to the manhole-caused accidents instead of doing the needful. He said it seemed that the TMA was waiting for some fatal incident to come a live to the critical situation. When contacted, the officials concerned of the sanitation department avoided offering any comment in this regard.