Ban On Bathing In Lahore Canal Being Flouted

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jul, 2021 ) :The ban on bathing in Lahore canal is being flouted as a great rush of youngsters was observed in the canal to beat the heat.

Revellers were also observed making fun at the canal road which may cause any untoward incident.

The enormous rush of people may also become an easy target for coronavirus.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the district administration has been taking effective measures to restrict bathing in canal, and this year also, the administration launched a crackdown to stop citizens, especially youngsters from taking bath in the city canal as it causes multiple problems including serious accidents.

Canal bathing increases especially in the current season because of extreme weather and the people have a lot of craze to take bath in canal water.

Hundreds of canal goers gather at Muslim Town, Shah Di Khui, Johar Town, Garden Town, Thokar U-Turn, Mughalpura, Tajpura, Dharampura, Jallo and other points of the canal.

Well placed sources in the local administration told APP here Saturday that canal bathing causes multiple problems because the overcrowding leads to traffic jams and serious accidents on the canal road.

There is a complete ban on taking bath or swimming in the city canal, and 'we have constituted special teams to check canal bathing especially in June, July and August.

He mentioned that Deputy Commissioner Lahore had directed the district officer and assistant commissioners concerned to visit the canal frequently to ensure enforcement of the government restriction.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the City Traffic Police (CTP) told this scribe that traffic wardens had been directed not to let the people park their vehicles including auto rickshaws and motorbikes along sides the canal road, and do not spare the violators and issue them traffic challan.

He added that drive against wrong parking would be intensified in consultation with the district administration and irrigation department.

Dr Khalid Hussain, a Senior Professor at Services Hospital Lahore, told this scribe that bathing in canal water was fraught with numerous health hazards due to several contamination, adding that people taking bath in the canal may suffer from various diseases especially skin related issues.

He advised the citizens to refrain from taking bath in the canal and save themselves from water diseases as well as coronavirus.