LAHORE: Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal has strongly reacted to the death of a child af ter f alling into a manhole in Faisalabad.

`It is a collective shame for us that our children are dying because of open manholes, as happened in Faisalabad a day earlier, the chief secretary stated in his letter to all managing directors of Wasa and chief officers of local governments across the province.

The chief secretary stated that the managing directors of Wasa and chief ofhcers of local governments across the province from now onwards would be held personally responsible and proceeded against for dereliction of duty, if any manhole be found open in their respective jurisdictions.

The chief secretary also stated that any person found stealing, selling or buying manhole covers shall be charged with attempted murder. Staff Reporter