PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has imposed ban on all types of new construction alongside rivers, irrigation canals and other waterways in the province.

He also ordered launching of an effective crackdown against the existing encroachments. He said that no political pressure or any other interference should be accepted in that regard.

Chairing a meeting regarding the anti-encroachment drive in the province on Wednesday, the chief minister directed the relevant authorities to enforce Section 144 against construction of new houses, hotels and all other commercial and non-commercial infrastructures alongside waterways including Swat, Panjkora and Kunhar rivers and canals of the irrigation department across the province.

He said that there should be no leniency regarding encroachments.He said that all the stakeholders would have to fulfil their responsibilities for the purpose and, in the future, no department would issue `no objection certificate` for construction or establishment of new infrastructure near waterways.

The chief minister said that encroachments put negative impacts on the economy and resulted in loss of precious human lives and property during the 2010 and recent floods.

`There is no room for negligence or delay in taking action against these encroachments,` he added.

He directed the irrigation department to initiate work on identifying flood-prone sites in the province. He said that ignorance of people regarding the issue did not debar government agencies and departments from their duties and responsibilities.

`The relevant rules and regulations need to be implemented in letter and spirit to stop encroachments, said the chief minister. He directedshort-term, mid-term and long-term planning to completely eliminate encroachments, especially alongside rivers in Hazara and Malakand divisions.

He stressed the need for constructing small dams to reduce risks of flood damage under long-term planning and directed the authorities concerned to submit appropriate proposals for the purpose.

The meeting was told that so far, 100 illegal structures the Swat River were removed in five different operations in Kalam, Madyan, Bahrain, Fiza Ghat and Mingora. Besides, hotels and boundary walls re-constructed in Kalam Bazar were also demolished.

The data of new, old and re-constructed encroachments is regularly collected by the irrigation department and submitted to the local administration for issuance of notices to the violators and carrying out antiencroachment operations.