JAMMU: Continuing his efforts towards strengthening various line departments, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo, today convened a meeting to review the status of various departmental laboratories.
In a meeting held with heads of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, Sericulture, and Sheep Husbandry departments, ACS had a thorough review of their departmental laboratories besides assessing their performance.
Director Agriculture Jammu informed the ACS about the working of the department’s laboratories for soil testing, pesticide testing, and spawn production. He informed that all districts are equipped with static as well mobile labs for the farmers. He assured the availability of necessary equipment, manpower, pesticide sampling machine, fertilizer quality control lab, and 42 Plant Health Clinics.
Similar feedback was obtained from Director Agriculture Kashmir who was directed by the ACS to pursue NABL accreditation for the labs.
ACS emphasized upon the department to prepare a proposal regarding the setting up of Biofertilizer and BioPesticide testing facilities.
Both the Horticulture Directors were also encouraged to seek NABL accreditation for their labs. The status of Soil Testing (static as well as mobile) and Pesticide Testing laboratories along with online and offline operations of their Plant Health Clinics was also shared with the ACS.
Director Horticulture Jammu was directed to functionalise the soil testing lab in Doda.
Officers from SKUAST, Jammu as well as Kashmir, told the ACS about the working of their labs and accreditation status.
Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir informed that there is one high-tech lab at Srinagar, 21 labs in districts, and 6 radiology units besides a couple of other labs are operational.
Director Animal Husbandry Jammu also apprised the ACS about the status of labs saying that there is one division lab and one Epidemiology Lab.
ACS underlined the need for upgrading a few of the existing labs making them fully functional. He also acknowledged the demand for radiology labs in Anantnag and Kulgam.
Director Sheep Husbandry Kashmir highlighted that the department has 12 labs in the division and submitted requirements for ultrasonography machines. He informed that the ETT labs of the department would be made operational by March-April next year.
Director Sheep Husbandry Jammu also shared information about their laboratories and informed that a project report of the Biological Production Unit at Basohli had been submitted.
ACS observed the need for further strengthening of some of the district-level laboratories in the UT.
Heads of Fisheries and Sericulture departments also shared inputs with respect to their departments before the Additional Chief Secretary.
