LAHORE, Dec 15: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has ordered construction of modern godowns initially in five districts so as to attain ability to store wheat for food security.

The godowns should be made with concrete and steel, having in-built system of indicating the weight of wheat stored in them. These godowns should have the capacity to protect the wheat from the impact of weather, keeping it fresh and pest-free for a longer period, he ordered.

The chief minister was presiding over a meeting held on Wednesday to make arrangements for the save storage of wheat. Officials said the technology for such a modern godowns would be imported from some European country. Their construction would start on Jan 1, and the same would be ready till the reaping of the next wheat crop.

The godowns would be constructed in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Khanewal, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan in the first phase of the project, having a total capacity of storing over 600,000 tons of wheat.

Earlier, the chief minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the arrangements made for storing wheat. He said the new godowns would also help monitor the quantity of the stored wheat in a transparent manner and provide quality and fresh wheat to millers.

NEW MURREE PROJECT: Presiding over another meeting, the chief minister reviewed the master plan of the multi-billion New Murree Project, ordering the officials concerned to grow a maximum number of trees there.

He also ordered timely provision of gas in the area to prevent people from using wood as the only source of energy. He said the master plan should be finalized while keeping in view the points of promotion of tourism with the availability of quality accommodation and recreational facilities.

He said the government was arranging for the provision of clean and abundant drinking water to Murree and New Murree. A development authority had been created which would ensure timely construction of roads, provision of water and development of other related infrastructure in the new city.