BA HAWA LNAGAR: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Sunday sealed six water filtration plants operated by the Bahawalnagar Municipal Committee (MC) after lab tests found hazardous bacteria in their samples.

PFA South Punjab spokesperson Haidar Ali told Dawn that the authority inspected 55 water filtration plants installed by the government at key locations across the city and collected samples.

Thirteen of the plants were found to be free of harmful bacteria, the tests of six plants revealed the presence of harmful bacteria, specifically coliform organisms, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fecal enterococci while results for 36 plants were still awaited.

Mr Ali stated that the operations were conducted in Muslim Colony, Quraish Colony, Head Sulemanki Road, Wahla Town and the Ghala Mandi areas, and that the filtra-tion plants supplying unsafe water would not be unsealed until their tests would yield satisfactory results. He added that the inspection revealed that plant staffers neither ensured the use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) during work nor adopted integrated pest management (IPM) measures, such as the removal of cobwebs etc.

It is worth noting that thousands of citizens get water from the MC-operated water filtration plants on a daily basis. Residents had been complaining for months about the issues such as poor sanitation, foul-smelling and dust-laden water and broken valves. Due to the MC`s failure to take action on these complaints, the citizens were forced to consume unsafe water.

While no MC official commented on the topic, the PFA`s spokesperson said any public concerns about water filtration plants would be addressed as a priority.

ARRESTED: A policeman was arrested on Sunday for allegedlymisguiding the investigating officer (IO) in a rape case and unlawfully raiding his opponent`s residence to intimidate him over a personal vendetta in Chishtian.

According to police sources, a case was filed with the B-Division Police Station, Chishtian, on Sept 12 when three suspects allegedly raped a resident of village Kaliye Shah and filmed the act.

Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ahmed oversaw the inquiry, which included Constable Azeem Asghar.

The sources claimed that while the team was conducting raids to arrest the suspects, Asghar misled the IO by providing false information about the suspects` hideout and requesting permission for a raid.

Instead, he, along with a few associates and private individuals, raided the house of his own rival, Muhammad Mohsin, a resident of Gulshan Colony, and subjected him to torture.

Following an inquiry, the highups registered a case against him and arrested him.