SAHIWAL, April 23: A 50-foot wide breach in the Montgomery-Pakpattan Link Canal near Chak 119/9-L early on Monday inundated a vast area and affected standing crops.

The irrigation authorities had to break the siphon to divert the water flow to the river Sukh Bias.

Reports said the breach developed around 7am on the left bank and flooded small localities and damaged crops over hundreds of acres.

Officials of the irrigation department broke the siphon of the link canal and diverted the water flow to the river Sukh Bias, besides taking other preventive measures.

Later, they started plugging the breach and the process was going on till last reports came in. The district administration and the irrigation authorities launched investigation to ascertain the cause of breach.

WHEAT DRIVE: Pure seed and unadulterated pesticides are essential for better food production in the country as they can enhance the per-acre yield and improve financial status of growers.

This was stated by Punjab Agriculture Minister Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi at the opening ceremony of wheat harvesting drive in Harrappa on Monday.

He said Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi was keen on boosting agricultural projects which included bricklining of watercourses to ensure preservation of water, provision of graders and laser levellers to the farmers.

To make the country self-sufficient in food, the minister said the private sector should step in agricultural projects.

He congratulated a grower, Muhammad Husain, for achieving the wheat yield of 60 maunds per acre.