KISHOREGANJ, Apr 3: Blacksmith community of the district is facing numerous problems due to lack of proper patronisation and financial support to carry on their ancestral occupation, reports UNB.

The blacksmiths are producing agricultural appliances including axe. dao, nail, knife, etc. But due to fund shortage and absence of bank loan they are facing problems to continue their age-old profession.

The prices of main ingredients like firewood, coal, iron and chemicals have shot up In the market when the price of their products have come down alarmingly causing great hardship to them.

Finding no other alternative, a good number of blacksmiths in Sadar, Hossainpur. Karlmganj. Katladi, Tarail, Bhairab, Bajitpur, Pakundia and Itna have already given up their ancestral profession

Meanwhile, many of them have turned into beggars and day labourers to earn their livelihood.

Meanwhile, members of the blacksmith community urged

the authorities to come forward to save the industry by providing loans and other assistance on emergency basis.

Slaughter of animals random

Another report . says: Random slaughter of animals in hats and bazars tn 13 thanas of the district endangers public health by polluting environment.

The district has no slaughter house. Moreover, diseased cattle and rickety goats are slaughtered without being medically checked up as provided under the law

Various intestinal diseases Including tuberculosis, tetanus, etc are being transmitted to human body from the meat of diseased cows and goats, a district medical officer said

The hats had bazars do not observe government announced meatless day. Even municipal markets are no exception.

Local people urged the au thorltles to take proper action against the persons rcsponsl blc for a slaughtering animals

without prior permission from the concerned authorities.

Another report adds: Kutcha latrines have become a public nightmare posing a threat to public health tn the district headquarters for quite a long time.

Human excrements get scattered polluting the environment Flics, mosquitoes and other insects carry germs spreading the diseases among the town dwellers.

Many kutcha latrines have been set up by the side of the roads, rivers and canals much to the inconvenience of the local people.

When contacted the district Public Health and Engineering Department officials said they had adequate stock of rings and slabs for low-cost sanitary latrines but the people were least interested to Install those.

Local elite suggested demolition of all kutcha latrines in the town areas and installation of low-cost sanitary lalrlnes with the jotnl Initiative of po-li<-c, health and municipal au-thorltles