CHINIOT: Local lawyers went on strike on Monday against what they called unjust distribution of fertilisers, failure of the district administration to check hoarding, seeking a `special package` for the provision of fertiliser to their colleagues having farmland.

Responding to strike call by the district bar association (DBA), lawyers did not appear in the courts, causing disappointment to the litigants who had to return without hearings of their cases.

DBA secretary Mehr ShamsherHaral said the fertilisers were being hoarded by middle men and brokers who had monopoly over the sale of this essential agricultur al input.

He said the dealers and commission agents provided fertilisers to the farmers on credit and later on charged excessive amounts with interest f rom them when they bring their crop yield to the grain market.

He demanded a `special package` for fertilisers provision to lawyers owning agriculture landsin the district.

He called upon the district administration to pay heed to the issues of farmers and take necessary actions immediately to provide relief to them.

On the other hand, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Bilal Bin Hafeez said there were 14 sale points set up by the districtadministration for `supervised sale` of fertilisers till last month, but these outlets were closed on the instructions of the Punjab government.

He, however, said the administration was keeping a vigilant eye on the fertiliser dealers to check hoarding, shortage and overcharging.

He said last month, some 47,000 fertiliser bags were sold by the dealers to the farmers, including lawyers.

The AC said as the fertiliser was being sold in the open market without control of the district administration, how any `special package` could be announced for the lawyers.

FINE IMPOSED: The District Education Authority (DEA) has slapped a private school with Rs10,000 fine for starting admissions without having affiliationwith the Board of Intermediate andSecondaryEducadon(BISE) concerned, directing its administration to refund one-year fee to a complainant student.

The DEA chief executive officer imposed Rs10,000 fine on the Basic International School, ordering its administration to refund one-year fee received from a Class IX student, Saima Ghaffar.

Abdul Ghaffar, the father of the student, had lodged a complaint with the DEA CEO, saying the school admitted his daughter in 9th class, without being af filiated with the BISE.

Later, the student had to appear in the exam as a private candidate despite paying the school fee for the whole year.

The CEO deputed Deputy Education Officer (DEO) Muhammad Saeed as inquiryofficer who verified the contents of the complaint and recommended action against the school management.

The school principal was also called for personal hearing by the DEO, but he could not justify the student`s admission.

The inquiry report was sent to the Chiniot deputy commissioner, who is also DEA chairman and upon his approval, the CEO slapped fine on school, besides issuing a warning to its management.

The school management, however, contended that the student`s parents had been told prior to the admission that their daughter would only be given tuidon andhave to appearin the exam as a private candidate.

They announced to ble an appeal against the CEO`s decision.