ast week, the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCL A) manage d to retrieve 10 of the 17 `hujras` (rooms) of Wazir Khan Mosque after its building control section took over the property possessed unlawfully by the people of various professions.

Planning to retrieve the rest of seven rooms is under way these days. The `hujras` had been used by blacksmiths, welders and other vendors since long and none of the ofhcials in the past bothered to retrieve the property for restoration.

However, thanks to the United States and Norwegian governments who pledged to fund the projects to restore these rooms, outer and innerwalls and some other parts of the mosque. And the projects include renovation of the mosque`s main intersection af ter removal of encroachments. Under the proposals submitted by the WCLA, the US and Norway will separately fund Rs120 million and Rs40 million, respectively.

The Agha Khan Trust for Culture will execute and monitor these schemes while the WCLA too will have a supervisory and facilitating role for the projects.

`Taking over the shops was need of the hour as the business activity had already damaged the centuries old structure of the `hujras.` Similarly, the construction ofroadhadoffand oncausedñve tosix feet depression on the ground level of the foundation of the rooms, making it a low-lying area,` WCLADirector (administration) Shahid Nadeem said.

He said the WCLA handed over the rooms to experts of Agha Khan Trust for Culture engaged in restoration. He said the remaining seven `hujras` would also be retrieved from illegal occupants soon, as they have recently been served notices.

Mr Nadeem said the government was likely to approve a Rs812 million worth of PC-1 for the restoration of various parts of the Lahore Fort. Under the scheme, the government would initially release Rs100 million during the first year. He said keeping in view the public demand, the WCLA decided to increase the number of Rangeela Rickshaws from 10 to 15.

The three-wheelers are meant to provide trav-elling service to a number of local and international tourists.recent briefing given by the experts at Town Hall has revealed that water drums, coolers, fountains and open spaces are the main source of dengue larvae breeding and the city district government is required to focus such spots immediately.

The participants in the meeting presided over by DCO were told that the field teams must devise a viable plan to detect and destruct denguelarvae throughefhcientuse ofinsecticides.

(khalidpak284@yahoo.com)