RAHIM YAR KHAN, Feb 8: The Cotton Research Institute (CRI), Rahim Yar Khan, is in a state of sheer neglect since its establishment some two and half decades ago.

District-wise, RY Khan is not only the leading producer of cotton in the country but the silver fibre grown here is of the best quality.

To promote this vital crop, the Punjab government established the CRI in 1978-79 fiscal to undertake research work on cotton under the agro-climatic conditions of this area. However, the high-ups of the agriculture department, who made the feasibility report, chose saline-hit area for the CRI which was unfit for cotton crop.

Almost one-third area is non-productive because of sand dunes. The CRI was established on an area of 170 acres, some seven kilometres from Rahim Yar Khan on Abu Dhabi Road near Amangarh.

Around 92 acres of land have been allocated for the cultivation of cotton, 26 acres for offices, residential colony and roads, while 52 acres house sand dunes.

A director-level official was nominated the CRI head but he established a separate sub-office in Faisalabad and started his work there. Since the day one (of its birth), the CRI is practically deprived of the administrative head. After some time, the director office was shifted to Multan but due to some unknown reasons it was again shifted to Faisalabad.

Presently, the CRI has 13 technical posts of scientists but eight seats are still vacant, including a production specialist, an assistant cotton botanist, an assistant agronomist, an assistant entomologist, an assistant technologist, an assistant statistician and two assistant research officers. The working staff comprises one cotton botanist, an assistant botanist and three assistant research officers.

It's budget in 1999-2000 was Rs2.77 million which was increased to Rs4.33 million in 2003-4.

The four main objectives of the CRI are; to evaluate/develop new cotton varieties possessing high yield potential, virus resistance, drought resistance, heat and pest tolerance, short duration with desirable fibre traits; to identify and incorporate the plant characteristics giving resistance to insect, pest and diseases; to produce the basic and pre-basic seed of all recommended varieties and to determine optimum requirements for high economic returns of new and promising cotton traits.

Despite the shortage of staff and resources, the working scientists have made a number of experiments on breeding, agronomy and entomology of cotton and succeeded in developing two new cotton varieties.

In 1990, the RH-1 was developed with the parentage of LH-62 and W-1104 which has an average yield of 65 maunds per acre and staple length of 30mm. The RH-112 was developed in 1996 with the parentage of three different varieties - AC-134, Cocker Turkish and 149-F Delfos with having an average yield of 70 maunds per acre and the staple length of 28.1mm.

The new straits - RH-510, RH-512 and RH-610 are in the pipeline. These varieties have showed more resistance to pest complex. All the new varieties developed here are sent to the technical sub-committee for reviewing, which sends them to the Punjab Seed Council Lahore for approval.

When this correspondent visited the CRI, cotton botanist incharge Khalid Mehmood said that "we are facing varied problems here."

He said the staff faced lack of technical staff as most of the posts were still lying vacant. The soil was saline which was unsuitable for cotton crop while the sub-soil water was brackish and unsuitable for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Similarly, he said the general condition of the entire office building and residential colony was dilapidated which required immediate repairs.

The gas facility had not been provided at the CRI which was necessary to encourage the scientists to work and stay on the campus.

Moreover, he said the canal water stored in the reservoir was unhygienic. The drinking water was also in short supply. The Pattan Minara minor canal did not have enough water to irrigate available land of the CRI. He further said that the CRI had no facility of medical aid which was a prerequisite.

Mr Mehmood said that adequate funds were required to level the sandy area of 52 acres to bring the land under cultivation. He also said that a sub-research centre of CRI was being planned to be established at Katcha area in Rahim Yar Khan tehsil because of the suitability of its sub-soil water.

Meanwhile, a farmer requesting anonymity said that Rangers had come here temporarily some years ago but now they were holding the control of the CRI.

Except offices, experimental farms and some houses of residential colony, he said the maximum land of CRI was occupied by the Rangers.

The Punjab government and high-ups of the Agriculture department seemed to be helpless in getting the CRI land free from the Rangers.

Provincial Agriculture Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon during his last visit to Rahim Yar Khan told reporters that the government would soon rehabilitate the CRI status.