BAHAWALNAGAR: The extent and severity of the urea shortage when the wheat crop needs it most can be gauged from the situation of the fertiliser in just one district that reveals a mammoth difference in the demand and supply.

A report of the agriculture department on urea in Bahawalnagar has revealed that the daily requirement of the fertiliser in the district is approximately 2,000 metric tonnne (40,000 bags); however, the district received only 260 metric tonne urea (5,200 bags) on Dec 22, 87pc less than its fixed quota.

The report (a copy available with Dawn) shows that tehsil Chishtian received 130 metric tonne (2,600 bags) of urea, tehsil Bahawalnagar 60 metric tonne (1,200 bags), Minchinabad 50 metric tonne (1,000bags), and Fort Abbas got 20 metric tonne (400 bags) on Wednesday. The tehsil Haroonabad did not get even a single bag of urea.

Exasperated by the urea shortage and possibility of their toil for wheat crop going to waste, hundreds of farmers from the district took to the streets, staging a sit-in at the Minchinabad-Bahawalnagar Chowk on Thursday.

Farmers take to the streets against fertiliser shortage

Protesting against the urea shortage, they accused the mill owners of being responsible for the crisis and demanded the government ensure the required supply of urea to the district. They raised slogans against the mill owners, alleging that the mills had created the artificial shortage of urea by cutting its supply in an effort to hyke the price.

The farmers said they had sown wheat crop but they were unable to get urea fertiliser despite efforts. They warned the district administration that the wheat crop would be adversely affected if the fertiliser crisis continued. They demanded the government take stern action against the mill owners and ensure the urea supply as per the requirement of the district.

The agriculture and revenue officials held negotiations with the protesters who dispersed peacefully after getting assurance from the administration for steps to make urea available for them.

According to media reports, the federal government earlier this month had decided to import urea 0.1 million metric tonne urea from China on a government-to-business basis to meet the shortfall in the country.

Last month, the Punjab government had announced a crackdown on fertiliser hoarders and issued instructions to all divisional commissioners in this regard. However, it seems these steps did not help the government end the fertiliser shortage in Punjab.

PUNISHMENTS: A Multan Electric Supply Company (Mepco) official has been terminated from service while 11 others have been awarded departmental punishments under Pakistan WAPDA Employees E&D Rules 1978 for corruption, negligence, and absence from duty.

Various departmental inquiries were held by the Executive Engineer (Exen) Operation Mepco Bahawalnagar Fayyaz Qurban and they proved the charges against the officials.

Mr Qurban told Dawn that Assistant Lineman Muhammad Amin Shahid, who was attached with Mepco headquarters, had been terminated from service after the allegations against him were proved in a departmental inquiry.

One-year service of three Mepco officials – Lineman Muhammad Anwar, Assistant Lineman Shabbir Ahmed of Mcleod Ganj sub-division and Assistant Lineman Abdul Raouf of Madrassa sub-division – was forfeited in the light of inquiries, he added.

The Exen further said one-year increment of nine Mepco officials, including linemen of first Sub-Division Bahawalnagar Muneer Ahmed, Sultan Mehmood and Sajid Mehmood and assistant linemen Mehmood Alam, Shahid Mehmood Khan and Rasheed Ahmed and meter reader Ameer Hamza, had been stopped over negligence.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2021