HYDERABAD, June 13: The adviser to the Sindh chief minister on livestock and fisheries, Faqir Jadam Mangrio, has directed officials of the livestock department to prepare schemes for the benefit of livestock owners. Talking to livestock officials during a visit to the red Sindhi cow and breeding farm of the Research and Training Institute near Tando Mohammad Khan, he said seminars should be organized to inform cattle owners about the latest scientific methods of cattle breeding.

He said efforts should be made to balance the income and expenditure of the farm and ensure that it did not suffer any losses.

The adviser was informed by the officials that the farm was spread over 2,486 acres of land but most of the area was lying barren due to shortage of water. The officials said the income of the farm during 2004-05 was Rs899,527.

Later, presiding over a meeting at the circuit house, Mr Mangrio directed the officials to train livestock owners and organize seminars at district headquarters to educate farmers about scientific methods of increasing milk and meat production.

He also directed the director, fisheries, to ensure recovery of auction money from people who had been given contracts of catching fish. He said auction of fishing rights should be made transparent.

CHANNELS CLOSED: The executive engineer, Naseer division, Rohri Canal, and Rangers personnel raided the Sarfaraz Branch and sealed seven watercourses which had been tampered with.