SIALKOT  -  Deputy Director (DD) Livestock and Dairy Development Dr. Muhammad Tanveer said that the Punjab government decided to give interest-free loans up to Rs. 270,000 to the livestock farmers, for which Rs. 11 billion have been allocated. While talking to APP here on Tuesday,an interest-free loan from Rs.135,000 to Rs.270,000 for 4 months would be given to those cattle owners who have valid CNIC card, having their mobile phone SIM registered and activated on their names and five to ten male calves. He said that facility desks were set up in all livestock hospitals to receive applications under Livestock Card, where trained staff were submitting applications through the app. He said that the people can also apply through the app by writing the PLC (blank space) ID card number in the message from their mobile and send it to 8070. For more information, the nearest animal hospital or department can be contacted on 080009211, he added.

EPD taking steps to eliminate smog

Parliamentary Secretary for Environment Kanwal Liaquat has said the environment protection department (EPD) is taking steps on a war footing to eliminate smog and pollution. He said that the construction of mega project of the Sialkot Tannery Zone (STZ) for environmental protection in the district had been completed and now the district administration had to play its role for shifting of tanneries from residential areas to the STZ. Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Zulqarnain, while giving a briefing about measures taken for environmental protection in the district, said that 206 brick kilns had been shifted to zigzag technology. During the last six months, 760 inspections had been conducted and cases were registered against 36 kiln owners under the Environment Protection Act while 65 kilns were sealed. The deputy commissioner said that notices had been issued to 174 bricks kilns during the inspection of 206 industrial units as five were sealed, Rs 1,00,000 fine was imposed and notices were issued to 45 units. He said that market inspections were being carried out on a daily basis to ensure the implementation of the ban on the use of plastic so far 850 mund banned plastic bags had been confiscated.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Ayub Bukhari, Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance and Planning Muzaffar Mukhtar, and others  were also present.