TOBA TEK SINGH, May 7: A breach occurred on Monday night in Bhangoo Rajbah of Jhang branch canal due to the negligence of irrigation department staff.
The breach had destroyed standing crops in and around Chak 389-JB.
A windstorm had uprooted on Sunday night many trees in the area and some of them had fallen in the Rajbah which were not removed by the irrigation department staff.
It was reported that due to the transfer of sub-divisional officer and sub-engineer a few months ago, there was no responsible official there to look after the Rajbah.
Residents of the area said no irrigation official had visited the site till late in the evening on Tuesday.
They said the fallen trees stopped the flow of water and it caused the breach which was initially about 30 feet but later widened up to 60 feet.
The people of the area and lower staff of the irrigation department were struggling to plug the breach which was continuing till the filing of this report.
CHRISTIANS PROTEST: The Christian community of Gojra took out a protest procession on Tuesday against market committee vice-chairman Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad over his alleged desecration of the bible.
The procession started from the tehsil council and after marching through various bazaars ended at Malikanwala Chowk.
Addressing the participants, Christian leaders announced that if no case was registered against him under section 295(C) within 24 hours, all the sanitation staff would observe strike on Wednesday.
The agitation started when a Gojra THQ Hospital nurse, Uzma, had written an application to the medical superintendent on Monday that she was on duty and reciting bible when Chaudhry Ijaz came to her room, snatched the holy book from her hands and threw it on the ground.
TB HOSPITAL FUNDS: The TB clinic at the DHQ Hospital had no funds to provide medicines to the poor patients.
This was stated by the Anti-TB Association office-bearers in a meeting which was presided over by the DCO.
It was decided that philanthropists and industrialists of the area would be requested to donate to the association. Provincial and federal Baitul Maal would also be moved to give grants. The EDO (health) apprised the meeting that during the current month his department would provide the hospital medicines worth Rs800,000 and give funds within a week to repair its X-ray machine.
SHOT DEAD: A villager was killed by unidentified people on Monday night in Chak 313-GB near Chuttiana.
Sabir Ali was staying in his farmland to look after his wheat bags. His family members found his body on Tuesday morning and informed police. They removed the body to the DHQ hospital for autopsy.
Initial reports said that there were strangulation marks around Sabir’s neck. The body has injury marks on it.
His family said they had no enmity.
Police have taken into custody some people on suspicion.