Pakistan certifies first organic cotton bale
Balochistan on Wednesday marked the certification of Pakistan's first organic cotton bale at a ceremony held at Kot Sabzal. Balochistan's Minister for Agriculture Engineer Zamrak Khan said the provincial
Dawn (Pakistan)
-
153 areas declared calamity-hit
The Sindh government has declared as calamity-hit areas 153 dehs of three talukas of Dadu district and five talukas of Qambar-Shahdadkot district which were hit by heavy rains, floods and breaches in different waterways during Kharif season of 2007.
-
Jica to help Pakistan tackle environmental problems
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) would provide financial and technical assistance to tackle environmental problems in Pakistan particularly to mitigate the affects of climate change, vehicular emissions, deteriorating sanitation conditions, glaciers melting and air pollution. This was agreed in a meeting between Resident Representative of Jica Takao Kaibara and Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi.
-
Five potential sites for small dams identified in Potohar region
As scarcity of water is a major threat to the growth of agriculture in Potohar region, the Small Dams Organisation (SDO) has marked five potential sites for the construction of small dams, officials told Dawn. The government had tasked SDO to carry out feasibility studies to identify potential areas for the construction of 24 small dams in the Potohar region, and at the end of first year (2007-08) this month, SDO was able to identify only five areas where small dams could be built, officials said while seeking anonymity.
-
$7.5m ADB loan for Lahore mass transit
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide $7.5 million loan to Pakistan for technical assistance in the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (RMTS), it was officially learnt here on Thursday. The loan will help the Punjab Planning and Development Board to prepare a structured design for the project aimed at improving the urban rapid mass transport network in Lahore.
-
Dust storm, rain hit Khairpur
Dust storm followed by rain paralysed life in Khairpur city and other parts of the district on Wednesday night. In Khairpur city, dust storm followed by rain continued for more than one hour and broke heat spell. Youngsters and other people came out on roads and streets and enjoyed the change in the weather. However, vehicular traffic was affected on the National Highway and other roads. Signboards of shops and offices were uprooted. Telephone and electricity systems remained disturbed in the district.
-
STP criticises allocation for water projects
: The Sindh Taraqi Passand Party Chairman, Dr Qadir Magsi has criticised budgetary allocation for controversial Greater Thal Canal and Diamer-Bhasha and Akhori dams. He said it was injustice with the people of Sindh. The resource distribution on old formula will inflict loss to Sindh in billions of rupees, he said during a meeting of the Central Committee at the Taraqi Pasand House, on Thursday.
-
People affected by dam warn of protests
An action committee of the people affected by the Mirani dam in Kech district announced on Tuesday its plan for observing a token hunger strike from Wednesday in protest against government's failure to compensate the affected people. The chairman of the committee, Mr Chakar Rind, at a news conference said floods in June, 2007, caused losses in the Kech district, but despite promises, the government had failed to compensate the affected people. Although one year had passed the government had not taken any step to solve their problems, he added.
-
Officials accused of selling water
The growers whose lands lie at the tail-end of Sarhal Branch blocked Sanghar-Khipro road on Tuesday in protest against shortage of water, and accused the irrigation officials of selling off their share of water to influential farmers. The protesters said that no water had reached the tail-end of the canal for last 40 days. They had visited the SDO's office several times and informed him of the problem but to no avail, they said.
-
Camel dung replaces costly DAP
The trains of camels are out here again in Muzaffargarh and this time not to entertain the public with their wrestling skills but to feed malnourished lands with their dung. The ship of dessert has now assumed a new role of mitigating farmers difficulties in the face of skyrocketing prices of DAP fertilisers and provides alternative fertilisers, Dawn has learnt. DAP fertilisers is touching all-time high Rs3,000 per bag which has forced farmers to look towards alternative fertilizers like cattle dung.
-
Water crisis: protesters block road
People protesting against shortage of water blocked a busy thoroughfare that links Baloch Colony with Defence, resulting in suspension of traffic on the road for more than four hours during the evening rush hours on Tuesday. Hundreds of residents of Manzoor Colony, including women and children, gathered on Shaheed-i-Millat Extension Road to voice their anger over the suspension of water supply to their locality. The protesters also burnt tyres on the road and pelted passing vehicles with stones.