LAKKI MARWAT: Elders and youths of Darra Pezu town on Wednesday demanded the early start of work on a boys degree college approved for the area by the last government.

They also called for the control of environmental pollution caused by the Lucky Cement Factory.

They made the demand during a meeting with deputy commissioner Bakhtiar Khan in his office here.

The visitors told the DC that the college project was approved by the previous government but work on it had yet to begin due to a despite over its site.

`The residents of Pezu want the establishment of an educational institution in the town butsome influential people are creating hurdles to it,` an elder said.

He said the locals went to Lakki, Naurang and other towns to get college education.

The elders warned they wouldn`t allow the establishment of a college outside Darra Pezu.

They also complained environmental pollution caused by the Lucky Cement Factory had a high incidence to the suffering of the people.

They demanded the government direct the factory`s management to control pollution.

DC Bakhtiar told visitors that the problems facing the residents of Darra Pezu town would be resolved on priority basis.

He said he would request the higher education and environment secretaries to take note of the college and pollution issuesfor corrective steps.

`The higher authorities will also be requested to direct the quarters concerned to ensure early establishment of a degree college in Pezu town and control of environmental pollution caused by the Lucky Cement Factory,` he added.

SECURITY SITUATION REVIEWED: The participants of a meeting chaired by district police officer Syed Khalid Hamdani here on Wednesday discussed the overall law and order situation in Lakki Marwat and examined the performance of subordinate police officials.

Other matters pertaining to crackdowns on anti-social elements, criminal hideouts, drug dens, firing in the air, unlicensed weapons and contrabands were also discussed in the meeting.

The relevant police officialsattended the meeting.

Mr. Hamdani directed the relevant officials to speed up action against the people firing gunshots in the air.

`We won`t allow anyone to play with the lives of the people by resorting to firing in the air on wedding, engagement and festive occasions,` he said.

A police official told the meeting that people had been booked for firing in the air during the last one month.

He said the police registered 75 cases against 183 people for firing in the air and arrested over 100 of them.

The DPO directed the station house officers to sensitise people to the hazards ofbringin the air with the help of religious scholars, elders and local government representatives.