No one to be allowed to exploit farmers during wheat procurement campaign: minister

FAISALABAD: Under the directions of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, a comprehensive and solid policy is being followed for the purchase of wheat in a transparent manner by providing all facilities to the growers.

This was stated by Punjab Minister for Public Prosecution/Incharge Wheat Procurement Campaign Ch Zaheeruddin during his visit to a wheat procurement centre Set-III here on Monday. The minister also inaugurated the issuance of Bardana at the centre.

He met the farmers there and said that the Punjab government had taken a number of measures for the welfare and betterment of the farmers. He assured the farmers of protecting their rights and said that no one would be allowed to exploit the farmers during the wheat procurement campaign.

The minister said that all administrative machinery had been mobilised to supervise the wheat procurement campaign. He warned the staff to perform their duties fairly. He directed that the all arrangements should be remained intact and best service delivery should be ensured for making the campaign flawless. He directed that any complaint of farmers should immediately be addressed on the spot. He also inspected the arrangements of wheat storage capacity and directed that the safety of purchased wheat should be ensured.

Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali briefed the minister about the details of wheat campaign. He said that regular monitoring would carried out at 11 wheat procurement centres in the district and 175,000 metric ton target of wheat had been fixed. He told that manual and online applications for bardana from the farmers were being received. ADCR Mian Aftab Ahmad, AC City Syed Ayub Bukhari, DFC Ali Imran and other officers were also present on the occasion.

MONSOON PLAN: FDA Director General Muhammad Suhail Khawaja has directed the Wasa officers for devising a comprehensive and useful monsoon drainage plan to cope with the challenges of early disposal of water from low-lying areas of the city in case of possible torrential rains during the monsoon season.

He issued these directions while presiding over a meeting which was held to review the preparations of Wasa for the monsoon season. Deputy Managing Director Wasa Jabbar Anwar, Director Estate Management Dr Anam Sajid Malik, Director Town Planning Mehr Ayub, Deputy Director Admin Yasir Ijaz Chattha and other officers were present in the meeting. The director general emphasised that monsoon drainage plan should be flawless in all respects.

He said that all precautionary measures against coronavirus threat be adopted by the workforce during delivery of Wasa services and process of desilting the waste water channels and drains.

The director general FDA advised that a coordinated strategy should be followed to make the monsoon drainage plan a success and to keep close liaison with the Metropolitan Corporation, Solid Waste Management Company, PHA, Highways Department and other departments in this regard.

He said that the drainage plan of city hospitals, hotels, private housing societies and other installations should be taken for solid planning to meet the monsoon challenges.

SECTION 144: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali along with SSP Operations Syed Ali Raza and Pak Army officers checked the execution of Section 144 on various roads and stopped the pillion riders and handed them over to the police.

The DC checked traffic at Kutchery Bazaar, Chowk Clock Tower, Gumti Chowk and other roads. He gave warning to those who did not wear face masks during the journey. He said that the district administration was utilising all resources to save the public from coronavirus and their cooperation was utmost necessary to defeat the virus.