MITHI, Oct 8: The provincial government has decided to set up a bank to provide interest-free loans to livestock and cattle owners.

This was stated by Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim while inspecting a proposed site for a cattle colony at Mehrand village, Diplo taluka, here on Sunday.

He said that people raising livestock should come forward and benefit from the scheme.

Talking to newsmen on the occasion, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, said that establishment of three cattle colonies at different parts of Thar is likely to provide jobs to locals besides giving boost to meat and milk supply.

The chief minister said that one cattle colony would be established in every district of the province on a piece of 200 acres of land at a cost of Rs395 million.

Besides, the provincial government would also spend Rs1377 million at different livestock and fisheries’ schemes, he added.

He said if the proposed projects of cattle colony shows positive results at district level, it would be introduced further at taluka and union council level.

Earlier briefing the chief minister, Mohammad Siddique Memon, Secretary Livestock and Fisheries, pointed out that each cattle colony would have a capacity of breeding over 200 buffaloes which would generate job opportunities in the livestock sector.

Dr.Arbab Ghulam Rahim directed the relevant officials to take measures to ensure provision of modern facilities to these cattle colonies and use quality material in the construction of such projects.

MNA Arbab Zakaullah, MPA Haji Arbab Abdullah, the District Nazim, Arbab Anwar, were also present on the occasion.

malaria: Health officials and representatives of people demanded on Sunday a massive anti-mosquito campaign in Thar fearing the phenomenal growth in the number of harmful insects in the immediate aftermath of heavy rains had raised the spectre of malaria becoming an epidemic.

District council members, Arbab Abdul Malik, Kirshanlal, Allah Warayo, Gumansingh and Abdul Subhan, said that the council had pointed out in a number of resolutions it passed during last couple of months that the rapid growth of mosquitoes, flies and other insects might lead to outbreak of diseases but the concerned departments did not bother to take any notice.

Civil Surgeon Dr Lal Bux Bhatti, Medical Superintendent Dr Jawaherlal and other doctors at the taluka hospitals of Nagarparkar and Chhachhro reached the conclusion after making comparisons that the number of malaria cases had shot up after heavy rains.

Sources in the district and taluka hospitals laboratories disclosed that out of 1695 blood samples taken by Mithi civil hospital to examine if they were diseased, 179 were found positive in September.

At taluka hospital, Chhachhro, 81 out of 231 samples were found positive while at taluka hospital, Nagarparkar, 327 blood samples out of 848 were found infected with malaria, the sources said.

The number of vipers, bugs, wasps, flies, cockroaches, white ants, ticks, mosquitoes and other insects and reptiles had grown manifold giving sleepless nights to a majority of Tharis particularly in rural areas.