Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) urged the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to play his role in saving the ‘Semen Production Unit’ being shut down by the provincial government to set up coal-fired power plant, which will cause irreparable loss to the livestock farmers of the province and the national economy.
This semen production unit is established on 285 acres of land at Qadirabad and houses some 253 bulls’ worth over Rs 1 billion. After disbanding of this unit, offices and residence built on 80 acres of land and 205 acres of arable land would become barren. These views were expressed by him by a delegation of 25 livestock farmers which called on the KBP Chairman Chaudhry Imdad Ali here on Wednesday. The delegation apprised the KBP Chairman about the steps being taken by the Punjab government for livestock sector and expressed its apprehension and reservations.
KBP Chairman criticising the government decision said that it has decided to disband the unit after 32 years of working when it was at its peak and giving revenue of millions of rupees to the provincial livestock department. He said no doubt government has approved setting up of coal-fired power plant at this place and efforts being made by it for resolving the power crisis are appreciable, even then no one can deny the importance of livestock and its impact on national economy. He said this semen production unit was producing high quality semen for last 32 years and supplying it across the length and breadth of Pakistan and abroad too. This unit is not only meeting the domestic needs but also selling for precious foreign exchange. A livestock farmer can easily buy one dose of semen for Rs 80 to 100 while at private stores it is being sold at Rs 300-500 per dose. KBP leader urged the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to save this unit from disbanding and also the livestock sector of the province.
