FUNDS for Lahore’s dengue control programme have been stalled. The finance department has also not released Rs80m, despite directions by the chief minister’s secretariat, disallowing the payment of salaries to the programme staff. According to newspaper reports the Punjab government had earmarked Rs300m for the programme in its annual budget. Out of this only, Rs20m were released in July. Around 700 workers were engaged for the programme in Lahore. …Since the released Rs20m have been spent, these workers have not been paid their salaries for the past month and a half.

The campaign to eradicate the killer dengue mosquito in Lahore is in full swing … But the level of workers’ interest in the campaign can easily be gauged in view of the non-payment of their salaries. …According to sources, the chief minister’s secretariat ordered the release of Rs80m in August but the finance department has not obeyed the orders to date…. This state of affairs can never be fruitful for such a huge campaign. The need is to immediately release the funds … — (Sept 19)

Selected and translated by Intikhab Hanif.