BAHAWALPUR, July 19: Mealybug and other pests have damaged standing cotton crop over acres in many parts of the district.Reports of pest attack have been received from Hasilpur, Ahmedpur East and Bahawalpur tehsils, where cultivators claimed that cotton spreading over an acre had been eaten up by mealybug.

They accused the private companies of selling substandard pesticides and demanded that the government should take action against them.

Officials of the agriculture department confirmed pest attack on the cotton crop, blaming it on private dealers of pesticides. An action against such companies could be prompted, they said, if the affected growers contacted the department.

DEMO: Electricity consumers in Hasilpur, along with PPP activists, have demonstrated against the Multan Electricity and Power Supply Company (Mepco) for loadshedding.

The demonstrators took out a protest rally and threw traffic out of gear near the grid station.