LAHORE: A team of the Punjab agriculture department has uprooted cotton crop sown before official time frame of April 15 in Sahiwal district in violation of Section 144 of Cr PC.

According to a spokesman, field teams are currently engaged in the elimination of early sown cotton to prevent pest attack. The Section 144 has already been imposed on sowing of cotton earlier than April 15.

He said the department came to know that cotton crop was sown on 30 acre land on tunnel pattern at Chak No 14/11-L in Sahiwal. A team reached the spot and uprooted the crop to prevent any pest epidemic in the long run.

The spokesman said growers were not allowed to sow cotton before April 15 as the department had already implemented ‘Off-season Management Formula’ to prevent pest attack on the upcoming crop.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2017