LAHORE: The ban on bathing in Lahore canal is being flouted as a great rush of youngsters was observed in the canal to beat the heat. Revellers were also observed making fun at the canal road which may cause any untoward incident.The enormous rush of people may also become an easy target for coronavirus. Since the onset of COVID-19, the district administration has been taking effective measures torestrict bathing in canal, and this year also, the administration launched a crackdown to stopcitizens, especially youngsters from taking bath in the city canal as it causes multiple problemsincluding serious accidents.Canal bathing increases especially in the current season because of extreme weather andthe people have a lot of craze to take bath in canal water.Hundreds of canal goers gather at Muslim Town, Shah Di Khui, Johar Town, Garden Town,Thokar U-Turn, Mughalpura, Tajpura, Dharampura, Jallo and other points of the canal.Well placed sources in the local administration told reporter here Saturday that canal bathing causesmultiple problems because the overcrowding leads to traffic jams and serious accidents on thecanal road. There is a complete ban on taking bath or swimming in the city canal, and ‘we have constitutedspecial teams to check canal bathing especially in June, July and August. He mentioned that Deputy Commissioner Lahore had directed the district officer and assistantcommissioners concerned to visit the canal frequently to ensure enforcement of the governmentrestriction.Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the City Traffic Police (CTP) told this scribe that traffic wardenshad been directed not to let the people park their vehicles including auto rickshaws and motorbikesalong sides the canal road, and do not spare the violators and issue them traffic challan.He added that drive against wrong parking would be intensified in consultation with the districtadministration and irrigation department.Dr Khalid Hussain, a Senior Professor at Services Hospital Lahore, told this scribe that bathingin canal water was fraught with numerous health hazards due to several contamination, addingthat people taking bath in the canal may suffer from various diseases especially skin related issues.He advised the citizens to refrain from taking bath in the canal and save themselves from waterdiseases as well as coronavirus.