MULTAN-Despite continuous rains in northern areas and upper Punjab, the canals of South Punjab region are facing scarcity of water, forcing the farmers to purchase water from tube-well owners at higher cost.
The farmers pointed out on Saturday that despite rains and availability of water, the irrigation department did not release full water in the canals of South Punjab as a result of which the farmers at the tails of the canals did not receive water. They said that they had to pay money to the tube-well owners to purchase water for sowing crops. They demanded the government to take notice of this situation and direct irrigation department to release full amount of water into South Punjab canals.
CRACKDOWN ON HOARDERS
OF WHEAT, SUGAR
The government has decided to launch crackdown against hoarders of wheat and sugar as Deputy Commissioner directed all Assistant Commissioners on Saturday to constitute teams and conduct raids at the warehouse of hoarders.
DC Aamir Khattak issued raid order during a meeting held to review the situation of availability of wheat and sugar.
The DC said that the teams would conduct raids at the factories and warehouse to recover wheat and sugar and these commodities would be supplied to open market. He said that the district administration would not let the profiteers and hoarders rob t he people of money. “No one will be allowed to create fake shortage of sugar or wheat,” he added.
He disclosed that the services of security agencies were sought to launch operation against hoarders and profiteers. He said that all concerned officials had been directed to visit vegetable and fruit markets and get the process of auction done in their supervision to control rates. He appealed to the wholesalers to discourage those creating fake shortage.
ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS
IN 960 SCHOOLS
The Punjab Government has decided to construct additional classrooms in 960 schools across the province.
Sources disclosed that the classrooms would be built with the financial cooperation of UK’s Department for International Development and the schools facing shortage of classrooms would get new ones. The construction of the rooms will be completed till March 2020. Sources further revealed that the additional classrooms would be built in the schools of 12 districts of Punjab and 80 schools from each district would be selected for the implementation of this project. According to the sources, the Programme Monitoring and Inspection Unit has sought details from the education authorities for the construction of the classrooms and they have been given May 23 deadline to provide the lists.