LAHORE:Emergency measures are being taken to protect crops from locusts in the province and in this regard field officers and their teams would have to perform their duties diligently as per the given SOPs.
These views were expressed by Provincial Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal while presiding over a meeting along with Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik. The meeting was attended by Senior Member Board of Revenue Babar Hayat Tarar, Lahore Division Commissioner Saif Anjum, and other officers concerned whereas other divisional commissioners, regional police officers, and deputy commissioners participated in the meeting through video link.
The chief secretary directed the administrative officers to submit the reports on locust situation in districts within two days so that relief could be provided to the affected areas on the basis of data. The meeting finalised the mechanism for obtaining early information about the locusts and decided to set up committees at the village level.
Each committee would consist of a lambardar of the village concerned, three representatives of farmers, one representative each of the local administration and Agriculture Department, who would inform the relevant authorities about the latest situation of locusts in their area.
The participants were briefed that 13 check-posts have been set up at the provincial borders where army and local administration personnel are present to provide timely information about locusts under the early warning system.
The chief secretary directed that civil and police officers should work jointly to control water theft and ensure eradication of this crime. The meeting also reviewed the demand and supply of food items, especially flour, sugar, chicken, as well as measures to stabilise their prices.
Growers concern: The management of a bank has issued funny directives for using transgenders to recover the default agriculture loans from growers by calling them and airing their names on media, alleged Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI).
In a statement, Khalid Khokhar, president PKI, said everyone affirmed this belief that food security is much more important than border security during this pandemic Covid-19 and growers are the key workers who ensured an uninterrupted supply of foodstuff, vegetables, fruits, and dairy during the lockdown. However, it is pity that they are being rewarded like this as they are bound to get the nastiest disgrace.
“This is the worst humiliation one can ever do to a client. May I ask, is a grower the only defaulter of a bank in this country? Do you have similar treatment for the rest of the defaulters? Who transfers their money and collaterals abroad? Grower cannot transfer his land anywhere, but being treated with such a disgrace. The bank has already been treating growers with Patwaris and Tehsildars for delays in payment of installment. Unfortunately, these directives and strategies to recover loans show a typical mindset set about growers and they don’t realize what have they eaten in the breakfast was only because that farmer worked hard in the fields and it goes on and on”, he said. Those who think once industries operate the reliance on agriculture will be minimum are living in the haven of fools.