DERA GHAZI KHAN, March 7: Livestock farmers are facing acute shortage of dry fodder (husk), which is being illegally burnt at brick kilns.

The agriculture and livestock departments have failed to take action against the owners of kilns burning fodder for bricks as well as black marketers, who are overcharging for whatever the stock is available.

According to reports, kiln owners have been using fodder as fuel to bake bricks in violation of the agriculture department's regulations. Besides, the kilns in residential areas are creating pollution detrimental to human health. Complaints of people's catching diseases because of pollution have become a routine.

Taking advantage of the situation, fodder dealers are allegedly selling it at a rate of Rs250 per maund against its normal rate of Rs40 per maund. None of the agriculture, livestock and environment protection departments has ever conducted census of kilns operative in the district. Some people are said to be involved in the business of sending dry fodder to the UAE and other Gulf countries.

When contacted, District Officer (Livestock) A.D. Khosa confirmed complaints about shortage of fodder. Before the devolution plan, he said, deputy commissioner was authorized to check the illegal practice but in the local-body set-up there was no clear-cut policy in this regard.