Less water feared for mango crop

MULTAN: Experts have feared that less than 70 per cent water will be available to manage mango crop in Rabi season this year.

Talking to journalists here on Saturday, Mango Growers Cooperative Society president Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi said that the growers were feared bleak chances of bumper crop due to lack of making dams and water reservoirs in the south Punjab and major parts of interior Sindh.

He said that water shortage could damage quality and size of mango. Lack of proper watering to mango trees could damage its shape, which had no room in the international markets, he lamented.

Earlier, the Indus River System Authority had estimated more than 38pc water in current Rabi crop season, but the authority had revised water shortage from 38pc to 33pc due to recent snowfall and heavy rains, he added.

Commenting on the impact of water shortage on the king of fruit, Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi said it would promote decline in mango production besides reducing the size of the fruit.

He said that water shortage badly hit interior Sindh mango districts in May last. The Punjab also faced the same myth last year where overall mango production went decline by 30-50pc in Muzaffargarh, Multan, Rahimyar Khan and Shujabad districts.

He said that water shortage had posed a key threat to the mango crop in the south Punjab and he feared that a water shortage could damage mango orchards in the region.

Three Mepco officials suspended: The Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) on Saturday suspended three officials and sought explanation from two SDOs on public complaints.

The Multan Electric Power Company officials said that the company suspended the officials during an open court held at Shah Rukn-e-Alam Colony. Multan Electric Power Company Multan Circle Additional Chief Engineer Omar Lodhi issued suspension orders of the officials.

They are Wilayatabad sub-division superintendent, Shah Rukn-e-Alam sub-division meter inspector and meter reader.

Explanations were sought from two SDOs of the sub-divisions on public complaints.

Meanwhile, Multan Electric Power Company spokesperson Jamshed Niazi said that all nine operation circles in the south Punjab held open courts and issued orders for redress of public complaints.