June 18, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 13, 1429

HYDERABAD, June 17: The Directorate of Animal Husbandry had established a fieldwork emergency cell and 212 veterinary aid centres across the province to meet any possible eventuality during rains and floods caused by hill torrents from Balochistan and canal breaches,

Director Dr Ghulam Sarwar Shaikh said in a briefing to journalists at his office on Tuesday about precautionary measures and arrangements for providing relief to cattle breeders during monsoon season that the cattle breeders could call the cell on 022-9200966.

Dr Shaikh said that necessary medicines and vaccines had been made available at each district office in the province and a sufficient quantity of vaccines and medicines had also been stored at the directorate offices in Shahbaz Building.

He said that Dr Tejmal Singh, disease investigation officer (022-9200098) and Dr Liaquat Ali Jatt, assistant disease investigation officer (022-9200038) had been made coordinator and deputy coordinator, respectively, on provincial level.

He said that the entire department had been put on high alert and arrangements and arrangements for treatment of livestock had been made in advance.

He said that the department had appointed 24 focal persons, one for each district with instructions to monitor the centres and provide veterinary services to rain-affected animals.

He advised animal breeders to contact their nearest veterinary aid centre in case of any emergency and also the cell in case of any complaint.

out-of-dept DG: The National Organisation of Postal Employees Union (CBA) on Tuesday voiced its opposition to the proposed appointment of a director general from outside the department on contract basis.

The chairman of the union, Khadim Hussain Dahiri, said at a meeting of the office-bearers of the union’s units of Thatta, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Dadu and other districts on Tuesday that the Rawalpindi bench of Punjab High Court had given a clear decision that the director general should be appointed from amongst the senior officers of the department.

Hiring someone from outside on contract basis would thus be a flagrant violation of the court decision, the chairman said and warned that the employees would also oppose the decision.

He said that the director generals who had been appointed from outside had failed to deliver and mainly harmed the interests of the department.

An urgent meeting of the central executive committee of the union was being convened in Islamabad to chalk out a programme for countrywide protest, he said and urged the union members to maintain unity in their ranks.