MANSEHRA: Hazara University Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohammad Idrees on Wednesday complained about the growing environmental pollution in major cities and demanded the proper disposal of industrial and chemical waste and end to deforestation. He was addressing the inaugural session of a three-day workshop organised here by the Hazara University in collaboration with the Pakistan Biological Safety Association.

Researchers and experts in the field of microbiology from different universities, medical colleges and research institutions in the country are attending the workshop.

Dr Idrees said chemical and industrial pollution caused highincidence ofcontagious diseases.

He said the workshop would pave the way for collaboration among different organisation at national and international levels for research in the field of environment.

The VC said clean environment would keep the population safe from epidemic diseases.

He said an imbalance created by massive industrialisation had made life miserable for the people around the world particularly in the third world where the people had neither resources nor access to the modern safety measures against viraland bacterialdiseases.

Meanwhile, the students of Kohsar Academy highlighted Kashmir issue, corporal punishment, hazards of pollution and the country`s sociopolitical issues through skits, tableaus and melodramas at the annual parents day function here on Wednesday. They also performed on a Kashmiri folk song to pay a tribute to Kashmiri people for fighting Indian aggression. The participants appreciated the performances.

Kohsar Academy director Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi said most students of the educational institution served the country after joining different departments and some were working abroad.

Jinnah Colleges director Mohammad Fayyaz said private educational institutions had been playing an important role in providing quality modern education to the local residents.Correspondent