FAISALABAD, April 20: Cases of malaria are on the rise throughout the district, especially in kutcha abadis, due to the negligence of the tehsil municipal administration.

A survey conducted by this correspondent on Saturday revealed the Allied Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital were crowded with patients suffering from malaria.

Mosquitoes have started giving sleepless nights to the residents in some areas as the local government has yet to expend on anti-mosquito sprays and vaccinating people free of cost.

Special squads of the TMA and other agencies concerned had abandoned using sprays for reasons best known to the high-ups.

It was learnt that the budget, allocated for this purpose, was being ‘plundered’ by some officials.

Residents in slums and other sub-urban areas were helpless to find a cure as mats and sprays available in the market were ineffective.

Shopkeeper Muhammad Mansha told this correspondent that the sale of anti-mosquito sprays and mats had picked up as the government had not turned up to the annual campaign.

People have urged the Punjab governor to order launching of the campaign without delay.

APPROVED: The Provincial Zakat Council has approved a grant of Rs300 million for 2,085 applicants in Punjab.

District zakat committee Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf told newsmen on Saturday.

He informed that a sum of Rs10 million would soon be approved as a part of the rehabilitation of the deserving.

He said the council had been offering monetary assistance to the deserving people on the basis of skill and experience, enabling them to earn their livelihood gracefully.

On April 17, he said the approval was accorded under the permanent rehabilitation package for the projects proposed by the applicants from all over the Punjab at a meeting of the Provincial Zakat Council presided over by the Chairman Justice Munir Mughal (retired).

An amount of Rs7.4 million had been approved for 559 people in Faisalabad, Mr Ashraf said.

He directed the local zakat committee chairman to immediately provide the sanctioned amounts to the people so that they could start their businesses without delay.

WHEAT PROCUREMENT: Complaint centres have been set up in the food department’s regional and district offices in Faisalabad to facilitate farmers during wheat procurement.

This was stated by food department Deputy Director Rana Saeed Ahmad Khan here on Saturday.

He said the farmers could contact in person or through telephone numbers 611767 and 615968 in case of any difficulty.

Arrangements for the purchase of wheat had been finalized in the district, he said.