Pesticide testing laboratory remains unused

Kankrebihar, Mar. 24: The pesticide examination laboratory set up in Harre of Bheriganga Municipality-4 to test the quantity of pesticide residue in vegetables and fruits entering Karnali Province has been left abandoned. 

The laboratory remains unused as the provincial government has not managed the required funds and human resources for its operation.

The Karnali Provincial Government had constructed a building to house the pesticide testing laboratory six years ago at a cost of about 7 million rupees. 

However, the building has not been used yet due to lack of sufficient funds to purchase the necessary equipment for the staff and laboratory. 

According to Senior agricultural economist Chitra Bahadur Rokaya,  the Chief of Integrated Agricultural Laboratory of Karnali Province, although the laboratory building was constructed six years ago it has not been operational due to lack of budget and human resources. 

He said that the office has requested the line ministry to manage funds and human resource but it has not been managed so far.

The ministry has allocated only Rs 2.9 million for the operation of the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot, Salyan. Rokaya said a budget of Rs 6.5 million was sought but less than fifty per cent was received, which is not sufficient to procure the necessary equipment and goods for the laboratories.

The office had also requested at least six employees each for the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot but they have not been available so far.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Karnali Province is working to transfer funds from other headings to address to the lack of funds for the operation of the laboratories, said the ministry's spokesperson, Agricultural Extension Officer Dhan Bahadur Kathayat.