All gastro diseases now treatable
Friday, July 30, 2010
Talks with Dr Mohammed Azam about increasing liver diseases in the country
Pakistan produces hundreds of doctors every year. A number of them get better career opportunities and leave the country for practising abroad. But there are few who prefer to live and serve the nation. Associate professor of medicine Dr. Mohammed Azam is one of them who instead of pursuing a better career opportunity in the 1980s refused to stay abroad and preferred to serve the nation.
He obtained national talent scholarship in matriculation and did MBBS from the King Edward Medical College University, Lahore in 1983. He accomplished FCPS in medicine in Gastroenterology.
As an associate professor he has been treating the patients with sheer commitment and dedication. Right now he is practising in one of the largest hospitals of the town, Services Hospital Lahore.
He has talked about various perspectives on life as a gastroenterologist in an interview with Sunday Plus.
Sunday Plus: What motivated you to become a doctor?
Dr. Azam: I was exceedingly determined to be a doctor since I was a little child. I have to struggle a lot in this regard because at that time there was no electricity in my village and I have to study in the candles’ light. In fact my parents were the real motivators. They supported me a lot in this regard and because of them I became a doctor though having limited resources.
Sunday Plus: Why did you decide to become a gastroenterologist and tell us about the gastroenterology diseases?
Dr. Azam: Gastroenterology was a natural for me because I believed that each specialty tends to attract certain personality types. I loved to work with my hands and that is why I decided to get into the gastroenterology’s specialization.
Basically in the 1980s it was too difficult to diagnose the abdominal diseases because there were not such equipments available in the hospitals. But with the arrival of the latest equipments and techniques like endoscopy, it’s not only so easy to diagnose a number of abdominal diseases but also these can be treated through endoscopy camera. Medicines are also available in the market.
Sunday Plus: Which are the major liver diseases and how can people be protected?
Dr. Azam: In Pakistan many people become victim of viral diseases. Hepatitis B and C is dangerous than Hepatitis A, E and D. Unfortunately the vaccine that can safeguard the body from the virus of B and C is not accessible in Pakistan while hepatitis A, E and D are now treatable here. No virus can spread rapidly among the people through infection except Hepatitis B. It is harmful than C in this regard because virus C affects the functioning of liver.
People should avoid the unhygienic and unhealthy food edibles and they should make assurance in using clean drinking water. Spicy food and cold drinks should not be used because these are also the source of spreading the abdominal and liver diseases.
Sunday Plus: In your opinion, what are the most challenging aspects of your career as a gastroenterologist?
Dr. Azam: I think the most challenging aspect is the constant pressure of the patients and it is very disheartening when I fail to treat the serious patients.
Sunday Plus: What would you say to those who are considering being a gastroenterology?
Dr. Azam: It is a great profession, even with all the limitations that doctors have to face today. It is a serious commitment, so you have to make sure that you are in this profession for the right reasons.
Sunday Plus: Do you think that the field of gastroenterology is going to change in future?
Dr. Azam: Yes! I think enormous latest techniques would be invented and government should take steps to empower the health sector in this regard. The need of the hour is to facilitate the people through installing latest machinery or medical equipments only then we would be able to prevent the liver diseases. Endoscopic surgical procedures may also replace many of the most common general surgery procedures performed today. Gastroenterologists should also be more flexible to learn the new techniques to overcome the abdominal and liver diseases.
Labels: Dr. Mohammed Azam, Gastroenterology, Interviews, Medicine
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 3:47 PM,
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Safe chicken matters
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The use of unhealthy and unhygienic raw-material during the processing of food and drink edibles have become common practice here in Pakistan and this is happening in every food and drink producing sector both at small and large scales since many decades. But the government and state institutions could not prevent this act. Despite of having many institutions at district and provincial levels those should have to prevent these food edibles producers but they are failed to eradicate such manufacturers. This is the same going on with poultry feed and a number of unregistered vendors have been successfully running this business whether these are producing feed for animals or birds and they are not providing healthy feed besides some registered companies.
A number of local and multinational companies are producing poultry feed The poultry feed is being made by the many healthy and unhealthy ingredients including wastage of chicken, mutton and beef meat, waste rice, corn, slaughtered animals’ bones, spices, different chemicals and especially during the winter season local made wine is also injected to the broiler birds while during the summer glucose has been used feed to maintain the temperature and gaining the weight of the poultry birds within the forty days. Wine and glucose have not been given to them at large scale but after intermingling of water.
The priority of the minor-farmers of villages is just to get maximum profit through poultry farming. They always strive to produce more than two kg poultry bird with in 40 days at any cast but they have got very near to two kg per bird. They don’t care that what they are going to feed the poultry birds and because of their harmful act many diseases pass on to the human body.
Since the recent years some business men indulged in this business and a number of control Shedds have constructed and enormous are in the processing while more than twelve units are producing the feed for the poultry birds and the chance of the using the unhealthy raw-material is dwindling day by day because of emerging the latest technology in this sector.
Sunday plus talked to many doctors and farmers who are associated with the poultry sector to probe that which feed the poultry birds is required and what are they taking now a days and common diseases of poultry birds.
While talking to Sunday plus Vet-Pathologist Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed Khan told, “Because of negligence of the farmers, there are some common diseases have frequently existing like new castle (rani khait), infectious bursal (ghamgoro), hydro-pericardium syndrome (angara) avian influenza (bird flu) while avian influenza and new castle can easily transferred to human body. If someone eats uncooked or half-cooked chicken meat then avian influenza can be positive in the human body and that is too difficult to treat the affected patient here in Pakistan but in the west can be easier. New castle disease can also transferred to human body that can be harmful for the eyes and Extreme eating habits of the chicken meat can weak the eye sight gradually. Thank God Almighty while cooking at heavy-temperature bird flu does not affect but new castle does.”
On a query, he suggested, Semi-cooked can be more harmful and everybody should be ware of bar B Q dishes. In fact everybody at risk including consumers, vendor and cooks they all should take precautionary measures like wearing the gloves before treating chicken meat. Chicken should need minimum 100 to 130 centigrade then there is no virus exists. So while cooking everybody must be made sure required temperature.
“With the arrival of the newly control sheds for the poultry farming Pakistan has dwindled a number problems that poultry industry had to face a few years ago. Many feed producers are thriving on this business scientifically and now poultry feed is making with the dirtiest ingredients. But it is the duty of the government to check the control and open sheds because frequently farmers supply some weak and sick poultry birds to the markets that are carrying diseases.
“As we haven’t any other choices and everything is made by the pesticides and urea fertilizers that we have to eat just chicken meat is not responsible to spread the diseases. Six week’s man made poultry bird should not come to the market farmers should have to give more time to the birds.” Dr. Imtiaz was of the view.
Sunday Plus talked to Hamid Shakur owner of the newly constructed control sheds has told, “With construction of the environment control sheds we have over come many problems because through these sheds we can easily provide the required temperature to the birds. Everything is completed by the computerised mechanism and treat room provides the feed through machines. Workers visit the sheds but just to vet the birds during their vaccination days. Vaccination is injected just to prevent the birds from the diseases and it does not use to enhance the weight of the birds. It is nothing sans propaganda and misperception.”
On a query regarding quality of feed edibles he added, “We can get 2 kg safe poultry bird but with in 37 to 40 days but it is happened because of high protein feeding. Feed producing companies are supplying healthy feed to farmers for poultry sector. They don’t use unhealthy ingredients during the feed processing. We are looking after more than thirty thousand poultry birds same time. The environment control sheds are the good addition for the poultry industry.”
“If human body can digest the poisoned wheat, vegetables, drinks and many other contaminated food edibles while God Almighty has bestowed the most powerful digestion system to the poultry birds. So that is why they can easily digest feed that is being made by the various feed processing companies while unregistered producers in the rural areas are still manufacturing contaminated feed for the poultry industry but there are doing it at small scales.” Dr Abdul Star poultry pathologist from told said.
Vet nutritionist Dr. Shah Nawaz Rana told, commercial feed is absolutely being processing specifically according to the genetics of the birds to have good production. There are three process of feeding to the poultry birds like day one to fourteen, called pre-starter period and fifteen to twenty eight days called grower time while the third ten days called finisher feed days.”
“Now it is too convenience to get good production with in the forty days because control sheds provide required environment to the birds. After having these control sheds farmer can easily tend thousands of birds according the requirements.
“The healthy and hygienic poultry feed is persisted of ingredients like corn, tips rice and rice polishing layers, millet (bajra) sorghum, wheat bran, vegetables animals bones and meat, minor fish oil while sunflower and canola seeds play a vital role to make the feed. But if any discrepancy is left during the processing the feed then hygienic and healthy feed can also be harmful. Animal’s bones provide the phosphorus that is also helping in the growth. Registered feed processing companies are not producing unhealthy feed.
“But prior the bracing of unhealthy and unhygienic poultry feed, improper disposal of poultry waste and absence of legislation concerning feed ingredients and medication pose a serious threat to the human health. But now there is thriving systematically and complications have been vanishing gradually, Dr Shahnawaz briefed the Sunday plus regarding hygienic feed.
“On a query, he said, “if the any rural farmer uses the desi wine to maintain the temperature and for enhancing the weight of the birds that can be individual effort. But it is sure that that kind of act is not doing at large scale and control sheds owners are getting feed from the spacious companies. As well as glucose is concerned that is also given into the control sheds. So we can say that poultry is not as harm as people are discussing.
“Healthy feed, environment and breed can be brought revolution in the poultry sector. It is very sad, when people say that just poultry is the responsible to spread all the diseases. People should not targeted poultry because every food edible is full of contaminated ingredients and thriving successfully. The need of the hour to empower the poultry industry and newl technology should be introduced to enhance the quantity and then quality must be improved. Government should regulate this industry in the larger interest of the consumers and should prevent those who are providing unhealthy feed to poultry.
“During a case study about the impact of chicken meat on the human body along with Dr Slahudin Faiz, after a great effort eventually we were succeeded to find out the guy who was just 14 but having. His secret organs are growing unexpectedly when we tried to detect the facts then we had come to know that he was used to eat chicken meat extremely against his father’s wish and that is he reached puberty stage two or three years before. So chicken meat’s extreme usage can be harmful, M. Azhar khalid D.D. Wildlife said.
Labels: Chickens, Consumers, Food, Market, Meat
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 7:25 PM,
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Sitar’s charm lives on…
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
On renowned sitar player Ustad Abdul Latif Khan and his career as a musician
Pakistan is a culturally rich country and has produced hundreds of legendary artistes in the field of music and many other fields who help to project a softer image of the country by giving remarkable performances across the globe. Unfortunately these legendary artistes have managed to get worldwide recognitions ian many countries where they have performed but to our dismay they have failed to get their due respect and acknowledgment within their own country. Renowned veteran sitar-player, Ustad Abdul Latif Khan, is one such unfortunate legend. He has been performing for the last five decades and despite of his deteriorating domestic conditions, he is still struggling to promote our culture through this performing art of sitar.
After more than fifty years of his services for the music sector in Pakistan, the government has eventually accredited him with ‘The Pride of Performance Award-Tamgha Imtiaz’ on 23rd March 2010. On the other hand, he has already been bestowed with ‘Gandhi Samadhi Hindustani Sangeet Ratna Award’ for his lifetime contribution in the field of Indian classical music.
“To be honestly speaking, I knew nothing about this instrument and I did not like it in the beginning. Later when I was in 5th class, my maternal uncle, Ustad Sharif Khan, convinced my mother to teach me sitar. He then took me to meet the legendary musician of the sub-continent, Ustad Raheem Buksh Khan, who taught me the art of sitar-playing. He was also the teacher of Ustad Sharif Khan. But after the demise of Ustad Raheem, I accompanied Ustad Sharif Khan who taught me the art of sitar-playing. Eventually I became a professional sitar player and served as sitar player for the last forty years at Radio Pakistan,” he told in an exclusive interview with Sunday Plus.
Sharing his memorable occasions, he said, “For the very first time when I performed for consecutive six long hours in Peshawar University, Vice Chancellor Mohammad Ali offered me to join the University as a music instructor but I refused to accept it.”
On a query he deplorably said, “Because of the dying art of sitar nobody including me is ready to get his children into this profession while earlier the artistes could acquire jobs in PTV and Radio Pakistan. But now the situations have become worse as state owned television no longer promotes classical music because there is no such programme that is being aired and gradually the classical music cultural is vanishing.”
He was once invited to perform at Delhi University where he was urged to deliver lectures on music specifically on sitar-playing. During his tour to India in 2007-08, he performed in a number of live shows which were aired on ‘Doordarshan TV’.
“During my live interview on Doordarshan, I discouraged the defence budgets of the both Pakistan and India because billions of rupees have been spent to manage mass weapons. In fact, there is no need to combat with each other but peace and prosperity is the need of the hour. The Indo-Pak governments should overcome the grievances of the masses. People of both the country love each other and they should be free to visit without any visa restrictions. In India I composed a raag called ‘Rusbatti’ which meant that I wanted to see both Pakistan and India share cordial relations and overcome grievances,” he hopefully said.
“It was told to me that Doordarshan had received thousands of messages and emails in which people were demanding my performance,” he said with the blink in his eyes.
Ustad Latif has composed hundreds of ghazals for Radio Pakistan including the national song ‘Ey watan key surelay jawanoo’ that was sung by the legendary singer Noor Jahan during the war of 1965.
He went to South Korea to participate and perform in the ten day cultural festival, where he was the only Pakistani artiste to perform on the opening and closing ceremonies. When his name was asked, he said, “I am Pakistan.”
Similarly, he went to Turkey to perform in the Turkish Food Festival in 1997. The first series of concerts were held in the city of ‘Izmeir’ for seven days and then in Ankara University where people from all walk of life appreciated his remarkable performances.
He went to India again in 2007 to perform in the ‘Summer Musical Festival.’ After the ending of the festivity he was invited to perform for an hour live show for the Akash Wani Delhi Radio, India.
He believes to preach the peace. He has also performed extensively in Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In Bahrain, he performed terrifically before the Royal family along with the cabinet ministers were also there.
He has to his credit a solo album entitled ‘Magic sounds of sitar’ that comprises of classical, folk, and national songs and many tracks from the Pakistani films. This is the only sitar album that exists in India and Pakistan.
“Currently there is no one who works to promote the culture of the country besides the artistes while it is the real duty of the cultural institutions to preserve the culture. You see, our culture is rapidly vanishing because the cultural institutions are run by uncultured institutions like the. Since its birth, it has failed to produce good musicians as nobody thinks about it,” he deplored.
“But now Mohammad Ali Baloch, one of the directors of Al-Hamra and Deputy Director, Zulfi, are striving to reinstate classical music of the country,” he said appreciating them.
Talking about the invention of sitar he confided, “Sitar is a Muslim musical instrument and Hazrat Ameer Khusroo invented this instrument. But unfortunately now we have only six or seven sitar-players and we have failed to promote this art because of the lack of government support and negligence of the cultural institutions. While India possesses hundreds of sitar artistes like Pandit Ravi Shankar who is highly appreciated. He is admired by the worldwide audiences.”
“In Pakistan, we just have Radio Pakistan where artistes can perform while state-owned television PTV is not organising any events to promote the dying art,” he informed. He further added, “If the government provides me space within the Al-Hamra premises, I can bring forth many artistes who not only would learn but also perform across the globe to preserve our cultural,” he maintained.
Ustad Latif always engages to educate and transfer this art to his students. He has taught Zara Sulman Cheema, Uzma Bukhari and Ahsan Kamran Cheema. They all have now performed across the world and have helped to project a softer image of the country. He is also teaching Laila Kamran Cheema.
Finally he asked, “People have told me that nobody can teach the art of sitar-playing but in fact I have never seen anyone who wants to learn it. If anybody wants to learn, within two years I can train anybody.”
Labels: Fine Arts, Music, Performing Arts, Ustad Abdul Latif Khan
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 10:44 AM,
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Kashif Shahzad, CEO of Rijas - Innovativeness sets the brand apart
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Rijas has been a pioneer in fashion fabrics, Pret-a-Porter, saries, bridal bed linen & accessories since 1966. Augmenting the brand’s stature and establishing its global presence is a dedicated workforce of over 100 trained professionals in design and business.
Kashif Shahzad, the CEO of one of the prominent outlets of the town ‘Rijas’ has shared information about his brand and the product line. Rijas’s CEO Kashif Shahzad has graduated in finance and accounting from the Purdue University of the USA. Here are some of the excerpts of the interview.
Kashid Shahzad said “My family is associated with textile and real estate business since 1963 but I ventured into family business in 2003 after completion of my graduation. I took charge as a CEO Rijas International that is successfully operating across the country with 16 outlets while a number of franchises are running in India, USA, UK and UAE.”
“Rijas has professionally trained group of more than thirty designers. They are working in a team to bring new trends in the market and focus to design many clothes in various colours that attract our customers,” he said.
He claimed “Rijas has its own place in the fashion industry. Though there is a clutter of fashion designers but what sets apart a brand is its innovativeness. For the sake of penetration in the fierce competition we bring diversified yet unique embroidered fabrics, accessories, saris, designer shoes and bridal bed sets.”
“We offer something that never goes out in style for the fashion enthusiasts. Even the prominent designers visit ‘Rijas’ for buying embroidery clothing. After stitching ‘Rijas’ fabrics they are selling with their names. This is common practice.
Answering to a query he said, “Pakistan has a huge market while we have very few designers. It is difficult for one group or person to capture the market but through quality work and introducing the latest trends one can easily capture the market.”
“Rijas offer Indian and Pakistani delicate embroidery style in the fabrics for saries, bridal and western clothing, embroidered fabrics, designer shoes, bridal bed sets, and accessories under the one roof. There is a unique amalgamation of western line with eastern style using latest techniques” he said.
“Rijas is a completely life style brand that believes to bring new trends while experimenting with colours, embroidery, textile and texture, line and silhouettes.
“While preparing for the summer season, we arranged special meetings with our designers, technical staff and PR Company for making new strategies and plans to come with something new this season. It is basically teamwork.” He revealed.
On a query he expressed “He wants to expand his business and wants to have 50 to 55 nationwide franchises. We have a lot of options because we have product development and a human resource department that are working on the feasibility reports.”
“Rijas is also going to offer many packages to the fresh graduates. If they would like to work with us they would considered and if they want to establish their own business then also they would be accommodated. Rijas would be welcomed all the fashion enthusiasts. Though it’s too hard to manage the raw material including clothing, jewellery, home accessories and shoes but we are committed to accommodate the fashion business lovers.” Kashif was of the view.
“Rijas also offers alluring brand of jewellery named ‘Infinity Rijas’ that is designed by the Spanish and Pakistani designers after working together. Artificial and gold plated Jewellery has been designed with seven precious stones including ruby and polki. Jewellery sets can be available in pricing range from 3000 to 100,000. These sets can be used for weddings and all kinds of parties,” he said.
“Rijas offers latest various designs of the ladies shoes for weddings, party and casual wearing. We are doing with under the brand name ‘Lee Shoe’. It is entirely the creations of Hina Khurram who looks after all the matters regarding shoe making, production and designing. ‘Le shoe’ brand established last year by my sister. She herself designs after watching the latest trends of the international market. Lee shoe has become the most famous brand in the UK, Europe and UAE. Lee shoe has low prices than the market and single pair of shoe can be purchased 800 to 3000.
“Our products have a potential in the international market but precarious law and order situation, energy shortage, economic crises and increasing inflation rate are affecting the manufacturing sector adversely. This is causing the manufacturing cost to rise and thus we are losing the competitive advantage in the international market,” he regretted.
“Government should address these serious issues rather than mere debating. If government facilitates the business community and provides the direct access to international market then there is no need of negotiating with IMF and other financial institutions. We have to spend millions for producing electricity through fuel. Energy crises should be resolved soon otherwise textile sector that carries great significance for our economy would be dragged to deploring situation. It is high time for the government to do something for the textile sector.” Kashif demanded.
Talking about the future plans he articulated “We have been running the real estate’s business in UAE for many years but now we have planned to launch the projects in Raiwind Road and Gulberg Lahore. Under this, we will target the middle income people to bring the idea of such housing scheme that would be affordable for them.”
Further he said that they would also launch a microfinance bank that would be functioning across the country.
Despite the current crises he is optimistic about the future. “The government has to take some positive steps to create a conducive environment for the investment. Pakistan has a lot of potential; it is just have to driven to the right direction,” he concluded.
Labels: Business, Fashion, Interviews, Rijas
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 2:35 PM,
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Ending the water crisis
Sunday, July 25, 2010
With the induction of 69 new tube wells the number of tube wells across Lahore has risen to 450. As a result the water supply has improved and the lurking crisis of water shortage is over. Last few summers were tough as the government had to face demonstrations of people and even riots due to shortage of clean water and electricity. This year half of the problem is at least solved. New tube wells are pumping water around the clock.
In the Walled City people could be seen standing in long queues for hours to fetch water. Often quarrels broke out when people brought too many buckets with them or tried to bypass the queue to get water. The situation was getting worse. There were frequent eruptions of riots at several places in the city.
The Punjab government tasked Frontier Works Organisation to replace tube wells hoping for quick results. The decision to install new tube wells was taken in August 2008. The agony of water starved people and the enthusiasm of the new setup at Punjab required some drastic measures to overcome the looming crisis and FWO took the responsibility to change the scenario. Timely completion and quality work was the yardstick for this project.
It was a challenge both for Punjab government and FWO as some quarters were sceptical that the later being new in tube well installation may face difficulties however the positive experience of Punjab government for the Lahore Roads Project became the determining factor for the go ahead. The work started in October 2008 with a four cubic feet per second (CFS) capacity tube well at Kashmiri Gate and completed in 2010 with the installation of the 69th tube well in Tibbi Thana area that marked the completion of the plan of Rs432 million in about a year with a saving of 27 million of government funds. All the sites have been handed over to WASA however FWO is responsible for one-year maintenance as per contract.
A tube well is more like a glacier whose nine parts out of ten are submerged and for a depth of many hundred feet the quality of equipment and skilled workmanship becomes important. Shahbaz’s government that had politically benefited from the developmental work executed during its previous tenure of late 90’s had to fulfil the promise as well as expectations for the quality development of Lahore. That was the reason that the system of 3rd party consultant was incorporated and NESPAK was brought in as consultants for the designing, inspections and validations of the drinking water project.
The foremost thing in the current project was to get the pure water from the lower water table at a depth of an average 700 feet below. The average water table in Lahore is about a hundred feet below ground however tube wells were previously sunk at a depth of 550 feet. Lowering of the water table and the risk of any contamination in future was the determining factor for it.
FWO has completed and handed over 69 tubewells to the WASA. The tube wells are at Maskeen Pura, Fateh Garh, Mori Gate, Taxali Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Karim Park Goal Ground, 16-B block, Mushtaq Colony Kotli Pir Abdurehman, 5 C-2, RehmanPura, Kawan Kot WASA colony, C Bloc Faisal Town, Akram Park, Hamad Park, Hamad Colony, Piran Wali, Nabi Baksh Park, Moon Market, Qadri Park, Zubair Park, Firdous Colony, F & V Market, Umar Park, Shadman Nala, Kot Khawaj Saeed, Farid Kot House, Mental Hospital, Chanal Bloc A.I.T, Usman Park, Jamshed Park, LDA Quarter Walton, AL-Faisal Town, Ghaziabad Bus Stop, Islam Pura, 1 C-1 Township, Bogi Wall, Gujar Pura, Adda Crown Bus, G Bloc Sabzazar, Akbari Gate, H-2 Bloc Sabzazar Zar, Imam Ghazali, DO (North Office), Junior Model School, Gawala Colony, Apwa College, C Bloc Sabzazar, General Hospital, Waris Road, Sultani Park Sultan Pura, Patila House, Nishtar Bloc, Paisa Akhbar, Lavion Road, Faisal Park, Abikj Park, Nappier Road, FCC college, Polly Technical College, Chohan Road, Gulshsne Hayat, A Block Muslim Town, Munshi Hospital, Taika Mehmood shah, G Bloc Johar Town, Raj Garh Office, Tehsil Garden and Anad Road.
The absence of a master plan affected all types of developmental work including tube wells. Setting up of a tube well requires lot of coordination with different departments and local resident committees however due to lack of coordination, at earmarked locations after taking in hand preliminary working, FWO was told to move to the new alternate site which wasted lot of time and resources.
The tube wells are under the responsibility of FWO for their technical maintenance up to one year and an efficient and responsive round the clock maintenance system has been chalked out. It is however the tube well operator under whose charge the whole system is placed. The operators are generally employees who are illiterate with no training of operating the equipment. It was easy before due to the old mechanical technology. But enhanced electronic systems have necessitated the need and understanding of vocational training.
Some of the tube well sites could not be handed over to FWO even after a delay of 10 months. However despite of all odds, the dedicated team of FWO has delivered and completed this project of 69 tube wells in a scheduled time of 14 months.
“We have done our best however the life of these machines can be greatly enhanced with proper maintenance and adherence of the Standard Operative Procedure (SOP)” Engineer Azam Project Manager, Tube well Project.
The electricity fluctuations and breakdowns require a continuous presence of the operators. Fiddling with panels and disturbing the electronic settings creates more loss than controlling the situation. Late coming and absence of the operators from duty is another common problem. There have been incidents where the operator was absent even during fire.
Unsatisfactory electrical support system has led to many problems. Installation of substandard transformers, stealing of electric wires and replacement with substandard ones are the recurring problems.
Equipment worth millions of rupees needs trained operators. A basic course in tube well operation and some hands-on training should be a must for the operators. Yearly inspections and performance checks system should be incorporated in its earnest. The average life of tube wells is 10 to 15 years, which can be conveniently extended to 20 years by mere efficient maintenance.
FWO has issued guidelines to WASA for the maintenance of tube wells installed in different parts of the city: The tube well operator is to be employed on regular basis with proper instruction and training. The minimum qualification of the tube well operator should be matriculation. Specialized practical training essentially has to be imparted by WASA to the operators for operation and maintenance of tube wells.
The load shedding has almost become a regular feature, frequent closure and re-operation of tube well with erratic energy supply can result in burning of motor, and MCU. Therefore a watchful operator can save the machinery from damage and as well as utilize the available electric supply hours to the maximum.
It has been observed that at times the WAPDA transformer is giving under or over-voltage due to which the tube well is automatically tripped off. Instead of removing the fault of transformer by sending a complaint to WAPDA, the WASA sub division electrician change the setting of control panel at his own to non-permissible limit and as a result control panel has burnt several times.
Opening of sluice valve of main lines before operating a tube well is very important. It has been found that at time the sluice valve of main line is closed by WASA for repair work in general area. Later the tube wells are started without opening of the valves that result in bursting of mainlines due to back thrust.
Tube well panels have to be kept clean. This will enhance the electrical component. Every month all bolts should be tightened and cleaned regularly. To keep the tube well room cool during summers all windows and ventilators should be kept open.
Labels: Lahore, WAPDA, WASA, Water
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 8:24 PM,
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Privatisation unlimited!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Punjab government is all set to auction many assets including godowns, rest houses, commercial and residential plots and agricultural land
State land and property must be used for the welfare of the masses. Governments never sell them. There is no doubt that Pakistan is passing through one of the most difficult times it has ever faced. Difficult times call for difficult remedies but not strange ones. Punjab government plans to sell state owned godowns, commercial and residential plots and 22000 acres agricultural land. The elected government instead of working on real issues of the masses is just obliging political workers and those who sponsored the ruling party?s election campaigns. It is feared that the grand auction plan may be misused to benefit the ruling party?s workers and friends.
The Punjab government tabled ?The Punjab privatization board bill 2010? in the provincial assembly in February. The bill was passed despite resentment of the opposition. Punjab Privatization Board has been established with the objective to sell Punjab government?s assets. These assets are stated to be liability for the government. The intended aim is to collect funds for the projects of poverty alleviation and developmental programmes for the masses. Nazar Muhammad Chohan is Chairman of the Punjab Privatization Board. Muhammad Ashiq is serving as Secretary.
The Punjab Privatization Board carried out a competitive, fair and transparent process for evaluating price of the properties of the government. It provides a mechanism to address the disputes regarding privatization and provision for ancillary matters,? Chohan said while explaining the working of the Board to Sunday Plus.
We are going to auction redundant assets of the Punjab government that consisted of rest houses, agricultural land, godowns and expensive plots in the urban areas. We have to get Rs 12 billion through auctioning these properties. These are all properties with clear titles. It is hard target set by the government in budget. Last year Rs 3.5 billion was collected,? he claimed
For evaluating process the services of four professional companies namely, Iqbal A Nanji, Indus Surveyors, Trisar Price Limited and Asif Associates have been acquired. They will evaluate the government?s assets according to the market rate. All these evaluating companies are registered under the State Bank of Pakistan,? he explained.
He said that to ensure transparency, each asset would be publicised through giving ads in the leading Urdu and English dailies. Twice the advertisements will be published in the newspapers. ?Actually our department just arranges the auction events and make sure the fulfilment of legalities regarding the sale of assets. We don?t interfere in the financial matters,? Chohan explained.
Due to recession we are so far unable to auction Lahore?s newly constructed ministers? block and godowns located in Badami Bagh and Gulberg. According to the list, we will auction more than 800 properties of the different departments and more than 22000 acres agricultural land across the province.
It is just a rumour that the Governor?s House of Lahore is being sold. The government has no such intention.
?If the property is worth below Rs 20 million then DCO (District Coordinating Officer) has the authority to auction. If the asset is more than Rs 21 to Rs 50 million worth the commissioner can auction them.
?If property is worth more than Rs 50 million the member of the board of revenue, chairman and other members of the committee can auction it.
The Punjab government has a number of properties that are unneeded, which can?t be handled like the veterinary hospital of Rahimyar Khan and Lahore?s wheat godowns which are located in the congested area of the city. These are old properties. After selling them government would be able to construct new infrastructures for wheat storage outside the city.
Most of the inquiries with regard to the sale of these properties have come from overseas Pakistanis. They have shown keen interest in bringing investment to their homeland. We would definitely appreciate their noble gesture.? Chohan explained.
Leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly Ch. Zahir-ud-Din deplores the situation. ?Punjab government has no vision and wants to sell the assets. This is injustice to the people of Punjab.
Provincial rulers claim good governance but the reality is that it doesn?t exist anywhere in the province. With good governance public assets increase. It is bad governance when you sell your assets. One can easily judge the governance in the Punjab.
PML-Q would definitely resist the move to sell public property. I have moved the motion in the house. It is ridiculous to auction property to overcome the overdraft. These properties can be used in future for many purposes. They want to make money by auctioning these assets,? Zaheer alleged
Labels: Privatisation
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 1:18 PM,
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The Bilal Gunj Factor
Sunday, July 4, 2010
The largest market of auto parts in the country is in Lahore. Here you can assemble together a 3000 cc motor vehicle from different auto parts. In the shadow of the legal business also runs underground black market that no one dares talk about
Lahore's Bilal Gunj market is one of the oldest markets in the city situated at backside of the renowned shrine of Sufi Saint Data Gunj Buksh. Bilal Gunj and adjacent areas are commonly known as centre of imported second-hand agricultural machinery, electric motors, compressors, auto and motorcycle parts.
The used parts business has been occurring since almost six decades. Traders? third generation has now taken up this market and is running it?s forefathers? business successfully. Because of this market people from across the province can get the genuine auto and motor cycles? parts but in cheap prices.
Though Bilal Gunj?s traders are facilitating the people through importing the used parts of the many types of machinery and they also pay millions of rupees in terms of excise duties and other taxes.
But as everyday many people have to be deprived from their motor-vehicles because of increasing the robbery and motor-vehicle snatching incidents in the provincial capital and other districts of the Punjab. That is why people think that traders of this market are putting up far sale the parts of the robbery?s vehicles. On the other hand instead of registering thousands of cases in this regard police could never detect the burglary vehicles.
Sunday plus strived to probe and detect regarding the theft vehicles whether these are selling out in this market or not and talked to many stake holders in this regard.
Most of the traders refused to accept these allegations but the contemporary prices of the used auto-parts themselves are speaking the reality because how can it be possible that the same new parts at name of used parts would be available in cheap prices while their original prices in the other auto-markets of the city are differing. So this situation has created some doubts.
Traders buy burglary vehicles in different prices like 1000-cc new model vehicle is bought at more than one hundred thousands and then after disintegration its parts are selling in more than two hundred thousands of rupees. But the most influential traders are dealing with this business. This is happening at limited scales,? sources revealed.
While talking to Sunday plus Mian Mohammed Ikram, Senior Vice President Anjuman-e-Tajran Auto Market Bilal Gunj said that the business community is suffering these days because of the inflation and selling of the smuggling goods openly but without any checks and balances.
On a quest he explained, ?Traders have many reservations and so much disturbed because of government?s vague policy regarding imports of the used auto-parts. Because of the smuggling and negligence of the custom, government is losing millions of rupees while we have to pay more than 1.7 million per container and on the other smuggled containers are coming without paying a single penny to the government. Through smuggling traders are earning billions but paying nothing in terms of taxation. This is one of the biggest issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible.
Bilal Gunj auto-market comprises more than 5000 traders and everybody is doing fair business over here. But it is just propaganda theory that is created by importers who are importing brand new Chinese auto-parts. They convey the massage to the general public that Bilal Gunj?s traders are involving for selling the theft goods. It is totally wrong perception,? he declined to accept
Our legal single container has reached here after two and half months but we see smuggled container comes here with four to five days because of that government has to take a great many losses. So government should impose strict ban on the smuggling goods that are coming from Afghanistan at the name of transit trade,? he deplored.
Frequently our traders execute business visits to different countries including Singapore, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai and Thailand where they take apart in the auctions? of accident and used commercial and domestic vehicles.
Through auctions they are able to purchase these vehicles. Traders are importing 800 cc to 3000 cc engines, agricultural machinery, used auto-parts and other electronics equipments as well. So traders don?t need to buy the theft and robbery?s goods for selling. ? He briefed
Most of the politicians and influential bureaucratese from across the country have been using the Burglary vehicles but nobody can dare to ask them. Bilal Gunj?s traders are fulfilling all legal requirements and associated with the legal business activities.
We don?t sale any engine without the approval of CIA and Excise department. The fixed charges are paid to the excise then sold engine has been registered in the record of excise department.? He said.
This special report appeared in Nation, July 4, 2010 issue.
Labels: Accessories, Autos, Bilal Gunj, Lahore
posted by Dilshad Rao @ 2:11 PM,
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