BAHAWALPUR NEWS

Meeting of district agricultural advisory committee

BAHAWALPUR(PR)Farmers have cultivated Cotton on 5 lakh and 94 thousand acres, Sugarcane on 75 thousand acres and Rice on 36 thousand acres which may produce 12 lakh 64 thousand and 550 bales of Cotton, 13 lakh 64 thousand and 380 tons of Sugarcane and 24 thousand and 610 tons of Rice in district Bahawalpur. The yield of these 3 major crops would add billions of rupees to the agro economy which would bring economic prosperity for the people in our rural areas. This was stated by officials of agriculture department during a meeting of district agricultural advisory committee held at committee room of DCO Bahawalpur. District Coordination Officer Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by Additional District collector Mrs. Imrana Ajmal, EDO Agriculture Chaudhry Tanveer Ahmad, President Pakistan crops protection association Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Representatives of Banks, officials of Agriculture department and other concerned officers and officials of the relevant departments.

The meeting was further briefed that agriculture department has devised a comprehensive mechanism to extend economic relief to the farmers which include: - Provision of modern agricultural equipments through 50% subsidy, supplying of quality seeds of Pulses: - Moong and Maash through 33% subsidy and providing disease free wheat seeds free of cost to the peasants which would boost the yield of agro products in 5 tehsils of district Bahawalpur.

The meeting was further apprised of that tunnel farming facility for increasing the yield of vegetables was also being provided to the farmer's community.

District Coordination Officer Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar directed the officials of agriculture department to establish model farmer centers which should have modern agricultural equipment in 5 tehsils of the district Bahawalpur. These centers would serve as public awareness centers to promote the culture of mechanized agriculture in district Bahawalpur.

DCO Bahawalpur Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar urged upon the officials of the agriculture department to launch a comprehensive public awareness campaign for the peasant community by distributing public awareness pamphlets which should have guidelines regarding various crops, use of pesticides and modern agricultural equipment. He also directed to the concern quarters that comprehensive precautionary measures should be taken to devise state of the art crops damage control system by using Satellite imaging system.

"A comprehensive directory of farmers and pesticide dealers should be prepared to streamline the agriculture business in the district", DCO directed.

These directories should have comprehensive information regarding peasants, fertilizers and pesticide dealers.

AIOU would start B.Sc. classes

BAHAWALPUR(PR)Allama Iqbal Open University would start B.Sc. classes and all lectures to the students would be delivered through video link from the computer science department established at the main campus of the University at Islamabad. This was stated by Regional Director Allama Iqbal Open University Dr. Khawaja Sabir Hussain.

"22 examination centers and study centers to provide reading facility at all tehsil head quarters of Bahawalpur region have also been established", Regional Director Dr. Khawaja Sabir Hussain maintained.

He further said that for better coordination with students, coordinators have also been appointed at Chistian, Hasilpur, Bahawalnagar and Ahmadpur East.

"To provide proper information to the students of Cholistani area, special sale points for providing prospectus have also been established", Regional Director maintained.

DCO would visit various Patwar and Qanoongo circles to inspect the revenue records

BAHAWALPUR(PR)District Collector Bahawalpur Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar would visit various Patwar and Qanoongo circles to inspect the revenue records in district Bahawalpur. According to his tour program he would inspect revenue record of Patwar circle: - at Chak No. 94/DB tehsil Yazman Patwar circle on September 7th, Revenue record of Patwar circle Chak No. 188/Murad tehsil Hasilpur on September 21st and revenue  record of Patwar circle Kotla Baqir Shah tehsil Ahmadpur East on September 28th.

Consultative Workshop to devise comprehensive development program for Cholistan Development Authority

BAHAWALPUR(PR)A Consultative Workshop to devise comprehensive development program for Cholistan Development Authority would be held at 9:00 AM on 3rd of September at the Conference room of Circuit House Bahawalpur. Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Saqib Zafar would chair the workshop.

Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 has launched a comprehensive internship program

BAHAWALPUR(PR)Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 has launched a comprehensive internship program to provide technical training to the students of various academic institutions in Bahawalpur. This was stated by Divisional Emergency Officer rescue 1122, Dr. Asif Rahim Channer.

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PHA has prepared 18 thousand seasonal flower pots to increase the aesthetic profile of Bahawalpur city

BAHAWALPUR(PR)Parks and Horticulture Authority Bahawalpur has prepared 18 thousand seasonal flower pots to increase the aesthetic profile of Bahawalpur city. PHA Bahawalpur has launched this program for the beautification of the Bahawalpur city under the directions of Director General Parks and Horticulture Authority, Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahaar. This was stated by Director Administration Parks and Horticulture Authority, Rana Qazafi, during a high level meeting.

 Begum Zakia Shahnawaz addressed a press conference  on Punjab Environmental Quality Standards

                        LAHORE(PR)Provincial Minister for Environment Begum Zakia Shahnawaz addressed a press conference  on Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). Six standards adopted from national standards include standards for municipal and industrial effluents, gaseous emissions, ambient air, noise, vehicular emissions, and drinking water quality.

                        Standards for treatment of liquid waste and disposal of biomedical waste by incineration, autoclaving, microwaving, and deep burial are a new addition to the environmental quality standards. The standards for biomedical waste provide detailed methods for ultimate disposal of hazardous biomedical waste. These standards will help improve control on disposal of infectious biomedical waste. The bio medical waste treatment standard will change the way province used to manage this waste earlier.

                        Large hospitals now have option to autoclave waste. Autoclaved biomedical waste can be sent to landfill sites. This will reduce air pollution due to incineration of such waste. Standards for incineration will regulate incineration of hazardous plastic waste coming out of hospitals.  Notification of the standards is the first step towards regulation of environment in the province, the Minister said. She further said that industry-specific standards are being developed. Rs. 30 million have been provided in the annual development programme of the province for this purpose. Environment Protection Department is collaborating with international development agency of Germany (GIZ) for development of industry-specific standards in the textile sector.

                        She further said that it is about time that we start taking environmental protection seriously. Indiscriminate discharge of untreated wastewater into waterways has polluted our canals and rivers. Incidence of disease due to pollution is increasing. Pollution is also a cause of poverty.

                        The Minister said that the next step in environmental regulation is updating of existing rules, regulations and guidelines and drafting of new ones. The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency Review of initial environmental examination and environmental impact assessment regulations, 2016 have been placed on the website of EPA Punjab for comments from all stakeholders.

                        These regulations now regulate the consultants who carry out environmental assessment of projects. Specifying minimum educational qualification of consultants would enhance the quality of environmental reviews.

                        Environmental Review Fees, specified in the year 2,000, are suggested to be revised. Additionally, an annual renewal fee has also been recommended for all projects seeking environmental approval. The annual fees have been recommended to cover the monitoring expenses of EPA Punjab. This is in accordance with the “Polluters Pay Principle” enshrined in the Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997.