FAISALABAD  -  Kenyan High Commissioner (HC) Madam Mary Nyambura Kamau said on Monday that joint research programme was im­perative for tangible solution to agricul­ture sector. 

Addressing a meeting at the Universi­ty of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here, she said that Kenya and Pakistan were enjoying cordial relations. Bilateral ties of both countries should be further strengthened in agriculture and educa­tion sectors as it was need of the hour to meet future challenges. 

She said that scientists of the UAF and Kenyan universities were conducting excellent research. However, joint re­search programme should be launched for finding out tangible solution to problems being faced by the agriculture sector of both counties. In this connec­tion, student exchange programs could also be strengthened besides offering attractive scholarships in both coun­tries, she added. 

UAF Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Mu­hammad Sarwar Khan said the university had introduced new varieties of cotton, wheat, soybean and other crops with high production and resistance to climate change. He said that 100 exhibition sites on farmer fields were established, while the next year, it would rise to 1,000 to promote cultivation of soybeans.

Chairman Department of Entomology Prof Dr. Jalal Arif said that tangible re­search work on prevention of pink boll­worm, whitefly, fruit-fly, locust, fall army­worm, termites and other insects were being carried out in the Department of Entomology, UAF. 

Dean Faculty of Animal Husbandry Prof. Dr. Qamar Bilal, Dean Faculty of Agricul­tural Engineering Dr. Muhammad Azam Khan, Chairman Energy System Engineer­ing Dr. Muhammad Anjum Munir and Chairman Plant Breeding and Genetics Dr. Muhammad Azeem Iqbal also spoke.

WASA TO LAUNCH RECOVERY DRIVE SOON

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) would launch a vigorous recov­ery campaign against its chronic default­ers very soon. 

A spokesman for WASA said here on Monday that the Agency was providing the best facilities of water supply and sewerage but some consumers were not paying their bills and other dues. He said WASA had 38 disposal stations in Fais­alabad and their annual expenditure was Rs.140 million per annum to provide the best sewerage facilities to dwellers of Faisalabad. 

He said that WASA had 350,000 con­sumers in Faisalabad but 200,000 con­sumers were regularly paying their water bills whereas remaining 150,000 con­sumers were in the habit of adopting de­laying tactics in the payment of bills.