TOBA TEK SINGH: The watermelon rates have plummeted from Rs1,100 to Rs400 per maund in recent days due to the outbreak of downy mildew disease on watermelon and melon crops in the villages of Mamukanjan, Faisalabad.

The situation has caused great concerns and worries among farmers, who fear they will suffer significant financial losses.

According to reports, this year watermelon was cultivated on 8,500 acres, and melons on 1,500 acres in Mamukanjan. The downy disease has severely impacted both crops due to the recent heavy rains, which have also delayed the picking of the watermelon crop. As a result of this delay, watermelons are starting to explode while lying in the fields.

Farmers stated that they spend Rs150,000 per acre on cultivation costs, and if the situation persists, they would have to bear a loss of at least Rs100,000 per acre.

Mamukanjan is a significant market in Punjab for watermelons and melons, and farmers usually earn from Rs500,000 to Rs700,000 per acre. However, this year, due to the crisis and disease outbreak in watermelons and melons, they are likely to suffer a great financial loss.

ACCIDENTS: A fatal accident occurred in the Jhang’s Chiniot Road area, where a head-on collision between two motorcycles and a truck also ran over them after the collision.

The accident resulted in the death of motorcyclist Allah Ditta, and injuries to Bahadur Khan and Shahzad Javed. The injured were shifted to the Jhang District Headquarters Hospital.

In another incident on Mianchannu Road, Musa Virk, two motorcycles collided, leading to the death of a motorcyclist identified as Arsalan Ahmad, while his father, Muhammad Bashir, who was travelling as a pillion rider, and the other motorcycle rider, Muzammal, received injuries. They were admitted to the Khanewal DHQ hospital.

KILLED: Robbers shot at and killed a first-year college student, Hammad Hassan, at Rajana on Chak 290 GB Link Road on Monday.

According to the Rajana police, Hammad Hassan was on his way home on his motorcycle from the Minhajul Quran College in Rajana with his friends, brothers Ahmad Asad and Hussnain Asad, who were on another motorcycle.

They all were intercepted by two robbers on a motorcycle near the Gogera branch canal bridge. While the brothers managed to escape, the robbers stopped Hammad and attempted to snatch his motorcycle and valuables.

Hammad resisted, and the robbers shot him, resulting in serious injuries. Despite being rushed to the Rajana Rural Health Centre, he passed away from his injuries. The police are investigating the case.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2023