PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the relevant officials to takeindiscriminate actionagainst encroachments and illegal construction activities being carried out onthe riverbanks in some of the tourist spots of Malakand division.

Chairing a meeting regarding illegal construction activities on riverbanks in tourist areas of the province, Mr Khan asked the officials to devise a strategy with an implementation planto prevent such activities in the future.

A statement issued here said that Mr Khan reprimanded the relevant officials over encroachments and illegal construction activities on the riversides in the famous tourist area of Kalam, Swat, and directed them to take all required steps to make the riverbanks free of all types ofencroachments on immediate basis and to submit him a report accordingly.

He said that on the one hand the illegal constructions spoiledthe natural beauty of rivers, on the other they caused human and property losses when there was flood in the river.

The chief minister said that such activities would not be tolerated at any cost and indiscriminate action should be taken against all those involved.

About reports of dumping garbage into rivers at some places, he again directed the local administration to prevent such practices on permanent basis,punishthose involved under the relevant rules, and to fully implement the River Protection Act.

The meeting decided to form an operational committee headed by commissioner, Malakand, with the aim to identify all encroachments on riverbanks and remove them immediately to protect rivers from pollution.

It also decided to constitute a committee headed by secretary irrigation at the provincial level to come up with recommendations for making the existing laws and rules more stringent with the aim to prevent encroachments on riversides.