GUJRANWALA, April 24: A high-level meeting expressed its concern over the damage of agriculture land due to sewerage water in and around

the city.

The meeting was presided over by Provincial Food Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal here on Thursday while district coordination officer Iftikhar Ahmad, GDA director general Pervaiz Sultan, Wasa managing director Muhammad Aslam Khan and other senior officers participated in it.

The meeting stressed that the Wasa should adopt solid steps to save wide-spread agriculture land from the sewerage water.

The minister said that farmers were rightly demanding that their agricultural land should be saved from sewerage water as it was destroying their crops.

The Wasa chief said any comprehensive plan to save the agricultural land from the sewerage water could not be prepared due to the shortage of funds.

However, the DCO assured the Wasa chief that the district government would forward the case to high-ups for the release of required funds if the Wasa finalized the plan.

MINI ZOO: The City Tehsil Council has decided to construct a mini zoo J-type park while bids have been invited from investors for this purpose.

The decision was taken at a meeting held here on Thursday presided over by City Nazim Babu Javed Ahmad while chief engineer Azhar Mahboob and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.

The meeting was told that the mini zoo would be constructed at Katchi Pumpawali while the recreation part at adjacent place.

It also underlined the need for taking solid steps for the beautification of the GT Road within the city tehsil council jurisdiction by constructing green belt and nurseries along the road to combat environment pollution.

ASSURED: Provincial Industry Minister Muhammad Ajmal assured the manufacturers and traders that they would be provided with better facilities for the promotion of industry while labour colonies would be constructed for industrial workers.

He said this while speaking to the local chamber of commerce and industry here on Thursday.

He said small industrial estate and export procession zone would be constructed on priority basis in the city for the provision of better facilities to the business community.

He urged the manufacturers and exporters to accelerate the export of quality products as they did not have to pay taxes on export.

Earlier, local chamber of commerce and industry president Khawaja Tahir Hassan and other office-bearers apprised him of the problems faced by them.

DEATH SENTENCE: A local court on Thursday handed down death sentence to a convict and life-term to another with a fine of Rs200,000 collectively in a murder case.

They will have to undergo six-month hard jail if they default in the payment of fine. The judge acquitted three co-accused — Muhammad Aslam, Imran and Mir Ashiq for lack of evidence.

According to the prosecution, Mehboob Alam and Shaukat Ali had killed Nisar Ahmad over an old enmity in Qila Dedar Singh on Aug 8, 2001.

ARRESTED: The range police claimed to have arrested 204 proclaimed offenders and recovered a huge quantity of illegal arms and looted goods from their possession during a special drive within the last fortnight.

DIG Malik Muhammad Iqbal said the campaign was launched on the directive of IGP Masood Shah while all SDPOs and SHOs participated in it.

He said three Kalashnikovs, 19 rifles, 67 pistols, 25 guns, 590 cartridges and looted goods worth Rs256,000 and narcotics were recovered from the outlaws.

Meanwhile, Aroop police claimed arresting four members of a gang of highwaymen who had killed a Wapda line superintendent Muhammad Sharif on resistance during a robbery bid a few days ago.

Police also recovered looted goods and illicit weapons from their possession. The arrested robbers — Umar Farooq, Ibrar, Irfan and Abdul Rashid had also looted a dozen passersby some days back.

A case has been registered against them.