CHITRAL: On the request of Lower Chitral district administration, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approached the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) managing director to allow use of its hotel in Chitral as mass corona vaccination centre (MCVC).

In a letter written by the KP department of tourism, a copy of which is available with this correspondent, it is stated that Lower Chitral DC has identified the building as the most suitable place available in the city for utilisation as MCVC.

“The building has been abandoned for the past two years so PTDC will not suffer any losses,” the letter said, adding the district administration would ensure payment of the utility bills for the period the facility was used.

It said the target population would be vaccinated as early as possible and the building would be returned.

Asked about approval of the request, deputy commissioner Hasan Abid said the district administration would take over the hotel building on Wednesday and vaccination would be started there during the current week.

District health officer, Upper Chitral, Dr Rahmat Aman said he had recommended lockdown in the villages where a surge was noted in the virus cases.

COLD STORAGE SOUGHT: Farmers of potato growing areas of Garam Chashma, Gobor and Karimabad have demanded of the government to establish a cold storage facility in the area to preserve the potato seeds, which will save their investments on purchasing the same from Punjab.

A number of farmers from Garam Chashma said they had to spend 25 to 30 per cent of their profit on buying and transporting potato seeds from the down districts in the sowing season due to the absence of preservation facility here.

Mukhtar Ali said during last two decades the area farmers had started growing potato due to congenialityof soil and weather and the produce was also supplied to the national market.

Haji Qudus of Parabek village said he bought 30 to 40 bags (each of 100kg) every sowing season from the down country.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2021