May 22, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1429

HYDERABAD, May 21: The crisis brewing up due to unprecedented load-shedding and water shortage obligated the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) office-bearers, MNAs, MPAs, and Hesco officials to devise formula for overcoming the magnifying problem.

MQM was represented by Zonal Incharge, Mohammad Sharif, member Zonal Committee Touheed Ahmed, MNAs Syed Tayyab Hussain and Salahuddin, and MPAs Akram Adil and Syed Waseem Hussain, while senior officers of Hesco and Wasa represented their departments.

MQM leaders deliberated the affects of load-shedding on economic activities, domestic consumers, cottage industry such as power-looms.

Consumers were being deprived of even a drop of water just because of power outages while Hesco was busy in issuing detection bills inflicting additional torture to the already power-and-water-deprived consumers, lamented MQM leaders.

They called upon the utility’s administration to provide a breather to its consumers by announcing a proper load-shedding programme and by refraining from detection bills

Hesco officials assured to inform the public in advance about load-shedding through cable network.

SAU BUDGET: The Sindh Agriculture University Senate approved a budget of Rs549.178 million for 2007-08, and non-expenditure of Rs605.140 million for 2008-09 on Wednesday.

It was earlier passed by the university Syndicate then adopted and approved by the Senate. The Senate also approved the budget of the affiliated Z.A. Bhutto Agriculture College Dokri for 2007-08 of Rs42.342 million and of Rs59.063 million for 2008-09.

Vice Chancellor Dr Basheer Ahmed Shaikh said that in order to eliminate poverty, the university was doing everything possible for the development of agriculture through research and providing training to rural population.

He said the country will have to formulate its agricultural policies to keep pace with the WTO conditions. He told the Senate that the university was working on 27 different educational and research projects for the development of agriculture sector and added that under the PSDP, an amount of Rs850 million was being spent on different projects.

He said these projects included preservation of vegetables, increase in the population of famous Kundi buffalo, and milk and meat production. He said the university was also working to protect mangoes against diseases.