Punjab Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that emergent measures are being taken to protect crops from locusts in the province and in this regard field officers and their teams would have to perform their duties diligently as per the given SOPs.
He expressed these views on Wednesday while presiding over a high-level meeting along with Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik. The meeting was attended by Senior Member Board of Revenue Babar Hayat Tarar, Commissioner Lahore Division Saif Anjum, and officers concerned whereas divisional commissioners, regional police officers, and deputy commissioners participated through video link.
The chief secretary directed the administrative officers to submit the report on locusts’ situation in districts within two days so that relief could be provided in the affected areas on the basis of data.
The meeting finalized the mechanism for obtaining advance information about the locusts and decided to set up committees at the village level. Each committee would consist of a lambardar of the village concerned, three representatives of the farmers, one representative each of the local administration and agriculture department, who would inform the relevant authorities about the latest situation of locusts in their area.
The participants were briefed that 13 check-posts have been set up at the provincial borders where army and local administration personnel are present to provide timely information about locusts under the early warning system.
The CS directed that civil and police officers should work ‘hand in hand’ to control water theft and ensure the eradication of this crime through joint efforts. The meeting also reviewed the demand and supply of food items, especially flour, sugar, chicken, as well as measures to stabilize their prices.
