MANSEHRA: The nazims of Mansehra`s village and neighbourhood councils on Tuesday warned that they would come onto the streets if the government didn`t release the non-development part of their annual budget in one week.

`The government has not paid a single penny of non-development budget since the start of the current financial year in July last year. If the overdue amount is not released within a week, we will agitate against the government, nazim of Noguzi neighbourhood council Mohammad Mehmood told the meeting here on Tuesday.

The meeting called to decide the future line of action on the matter was attended by the nazims of village and neighbourhoodcouncils.

The nazims criticised the provincial government for denying non-development funds and honorarium to LG representatives.

Mr Mehmood said the government recently released just 20 percent of the honorarium, which had been overdue since the start ofthe ongoing fiscal year in July last year.

Nazim of the Safada village council Basharat All said the government had released only three tranches of development funds to 194 village and neighbourhood councils of Mansehra.

`We have not received a single penny of honorarium and rent and other overhead expenses of offices for the last 10 months. Under such circumstances, how this local government system will deliver the goods,` he said.

Mr Ali said it seemed that the government wanted to fail the LG system by adopting illogical measures. Nazim of the Ghazikot Township neighbourhood council Mohammad Naseer wondered hownazims would serve the people at the grassroots level if they`d not been paid honorarium, rents and other expenses for months.

EARTHQUAKE: Mansehra was jolted by a mild intensity tremor on Tuesday. After the 2.5 earthquake, the people shifted from houses and shops to safer places.

However, no damage to public life or property was reported.

The Met Office Islamabad said the earthquake was felt across Mansehra and its adjoining district and its epicenter was 30km north of Mansehra.

`Though it had mild intensity, the earthquake jolted our region as its epicentre was close to Mansehra,` Mohammad Adnan, a local told reporters.

FISHING BAN DEMANDED: The people of Nikka Pani area, including local government representatives, have demanded a ban on fishing in the Inhar Khawar stream and warned they would take to the streets of the demand wasn`t met.

`The hunters have been usingexplosive and poisonous powders for culling fishes, which contaminates stream water. Our families too are suffering from various diseases caused by it,` nazim of Nikka Pani village council Mohammad Rasheed told reporters here on Tuesday.

The nazim said the Inhar Khawar flew from Oghi to Darband and most of water supply schemes were installed on its course.

`The excessive use of explosive and poisonous powder used for hunting fish in Inhar Khawar polluted its water to a dangerous level and if government doesn`t take prompt measures, the disease caused by the use of contaminated water will spread fast,` he said.

The nazim said the fishery department should take strict legal action against fish hunters before it was too late.

He asked the deputy commission of Mansehra to immediately impose Section 144 of CRPC on fishing in the Inhar Khawar to protect the people from diseases.