Staff reprimanded for dirty environment at Multan public analyst laboratories

MULTAN: Director General Punjab Forensic Laboratories, Dr Tahir Ashraf Friday expressed anger over poor cleanliness arrangements at the Multan public analyst laboratories.

He reprimanded the staff on conducting tests in a dirty environment. Talking to journalists here on Friday, he said the Punjab government had decided to upgrade all public analyst and forensic laboratories in the province to give public maximum relief.

The cotton research and food laboratories are also part of the upgradation plan, he said.

The government has decided to equip all laboratories with new equipment and recruitment of experts and scientists.

He said the forensic laboratories were helping the Punjab Food Authority in testing the food samples. They are also helping in rooting out the adulteration mafia.

crop insurance scheme: The Punjab government has introduced a new scheme of crop insurance (Takaful) in nine districts of the province to insure cotton, paddy, wheat, maize and other crops besides orchards and vegetables to secure financial interests of the farmers, said the agriculture officials.

The PML-N had introduced the scheme in April last and farmers were of the view that it was an old scheme with new blend and flavour.

The PTI scheme would be introduced in Multan, Faisalabad, Lodhran, Rahimyar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura and Narowal.

The crop insurance scheme would be extended to other districts in phases.

The Punjab government has launched the crop insurance scheme to compensate the frequent farmers’ losses due to change in climate, they added.

The government will give 100 per cent subsidy to the farmers, holding the ownership of up to five acres land. The farmers of 5 to 25 acres will receive 50 per cent subsidy on insurance.

They said that the scheme was successfully implemented in European countries. The government has introduced an online system to maintain transparency.

The crop insurance would protect the farmers' financial interests at all levels.

Commenting over the crop insurance scheme, Mango Growers Association chief patron Zahid Hussein Gardezi said that rather introducing a new scheme, the provincial government was copying the PML-N scheme which was introduced in April last.

The PML-N government had launched the same Crop Insurance Scheme (Takaful) to protect the income of the farmers against unfavorable circumstances. The PML-N had included Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Lodhran and Rahimyar Khan for the Kharif season 2018. The PML-N had also fixed the landholding of up to 5 and 25 acres, he said.

Rs181m for desilting canals: The Irrigation Department Multan Zone has selected 206 perennial and non-perennial canals for desiltation during the closure period 2018-19 with the expected cost of Rs 181 million.

XEN Operations Irrigation Multan Zone Chaudhry Zahid told reporters that desiltation work on 92 perennial canals was in progress as Rs 86 million funds had been allocated for the task.

Similarly, 114 non-perennial canals had also been selected for desiltation and its estimated cost was Rs 95 million.