Admin destroys crops irrigated by polluted water

PESHAWAR: The district administration on Thursday carried out action and levelled the agriculture land in the suburbs of the city which were being irrigated through polluted water.

The exercise was undertaken jointly by the district Administration, the Agriculture Department and police.

The step was taken after a survey was conducted through the Revenue Department to identify and map out the areas where vegetables were being irrigated through waste water.

Machinery was used to eliminate crops including mustards, cabbage, garlic and fodder being irrigated through polluted water. Around 13 acres of agricultural land was levelled. “This activity is a step for provision of safe and healthy agricultural produce to the citizens,” Deputy Commissioner.

Muhammad Ali Asghar said. He hoped this administrative intervention will sensitize farmers to abandon practices which pose serious threat to public health.

The official directed all assistant commissioners to undertake awareness-raising campaigns in collaboration with the Agriculture Extension Department to educate farmers on adopting safe practices to irrigate and wash the produce.

Thousands visit book fair at UET despite rain

The torrential rain could not deter students from visiting the two-day book fair at the University of Engineering and Technology, which concluded on Thursday.

Thousands of students thronged the book fair to buy books on different subjects arranged for them on subsidised prices.

President Study Aid Foundation for Excellence (SAFE) Shafiqur Rahman and President Islamic Society of Engineers Mohammad Junaid Shafi jointly inaugurated the final day of the book fair.

More than 60 stalls of different books had been arranged during the event where books of different courses and disciplines and general books had been made available.

Students from the University of Engineering and Technology and the adjacent university in huge number visited the book fair and purchased books of their choice. The visitors termed the event as a healthy activity that would promote the dwindling habit of book reading in the society.

QWP leader says PTI not interested to release funds for merged districts

Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leader Sikandar Sherpao said on Thursday that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government was least bothered to release funds for the uplift of the merged districts.

Speaking at a press conference at Watan Kor here, he said the PTI government could not honour the pledges made with the residents of the merged districts, which was causing resentment among them.

On the occasion, ANP leader from Sarband Union Council Abid Bacha announced joining the QWP along with his family members and supporters. He reposed confidence in the QWP leadership and pledged to work for strengthening the party.

Sikandar Sherpao said the government had pledged to give Rs100 to the merged districts

yearly for the next 10 years, besides committing three percent of the NFC award for the development of the merged districts, but he added that the rulers could not honour the promises.

He said the people, particularly the younger generation, had become disenchanted with the government owing to its poor performance.

He said the government lacked the vision to serve the people and solve their problems. Sikandar Sherpao said his party would not leave the people in the lurch and would continue to raise voice for their due rights.