Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz on Thursday announced to start a vigorous anti-dengue campaign, adding that Rs 90 would be charged for dengue tests across the province.
Presiding over a meeting at his office, the CM asked the health department to ensure the conduction of tests at a fixed rate. Similarly, line departments should remain vigilant and anti-dengue committees should be reanimated at union council, tehsil, district and division levels. Meetings of these committees be held at the earliest while ensuring strict implementation of SOPs, he said and reiterated that a zero-tolerance policy would be followed in this regard.
No negligence would be tolerated and all departments would have to show results before monsoon, he added.
The CM further directed to devise an effective surveillance system and anti-dengue teams be reactivated along with timely arrangements of quality spray and pesticides. The line departments should ensure implementing the devised plan as their performance would be daily monitored, he added.
MPAs Kh. Salman Rafiq, Kh. Imran Nazir, health secretary, Dr Wasim and others attended the meeting.
CM for ensuring provision of water to farmers of tail ends: Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz has ordered the relevant authorities to ensure provision of water to tail ends of 19,000 canal outlets across the Punjab.
According to official sources here on Thursday, the CM was taking revolutionary measures for providing canal water to tail-end farmers and a mechanism had been prepared in this regard.
Hamza Shehbaz said the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) would evolve a system for establishing telephonic connection with farmers.
He said that CM office cell would take feedback from farmers with regard to provision of water up to tail ends. The CM said quick action would be taken in case water would not reach tail ends.Tail-end farmers thanked the chief minister for taking the farmer-friendly step.
CS orders action against water thieves:Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal on Thursday directed all the divisional commissioners to take immediate steps to prevent canal water theft and take strict action against those involved in the incidents.
Presiding over a meeting here at Civil Secretariat, he said that there was a shortage of canal water in the province and in such a situation, water theft incidents were likely to increase.
He directed the officers to get registered cases against those involved in water theft without succumbing any kind of pressure.
He said that committees should be set up at district level for checking.
The Chief Secretary said that theft of canal water also harmed the national economy due to reduction in agricultural production.
He lauded the Commissioner Bahawalpur Division for taking timely steps to address the problem of water shortage in Cholistan.
Asking the divisional commissioners to submit a report about the areas facing water shortage, the Chief Secretary said that availability of water was expected to improve from next week.
Secretary Agriculture, officials of Irrigation Department and officers concerned attended the meeting while divisional commissioners participated through video link.
