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SANGHAR, June 18: The jubilations of farmers, in the areas declared recently as calamity-hit, were marred on Tuesday when revenue officials launched a vigorous campaign to recover land tax, drainage cess, local cess and other dues giving them less than 15 days to make payments.
The provincial secretary of Revenues, through his letter No. DD(EG)343 dated June 15, directed all the revenue officials to recover all the dues pertaining to the Kharif and Rabi seasons for the year 2001-2002 by June 30. The order advised the officials to grant the growers no remission or relief in full payment before the date.
The secretary referred to the notification No.R/F 342 of June 14, issued by the Relief Commissioner of Sindh to dispel the impression that any remission/postponement had been allowed to the growers regarding the outstanding dues for the year 2001-2002. He clarified that the relief measures covered the period before the said year.
The Deputy Director of Revenues in Sinjhoro, Habib Ahmed, convened a meeting of revenue collection staff at his office on Tuesday and directed them to ensure compliance of the secretary’s orders.
To avoid possible altercation with growers due to the misgiving prevailing among them, the revenue officials have decided to use loudspeakers and drums as method of publicity for the recovery drive.
It may be recalled that the government had declared many talukas, including Sanghar, Sinjhoro, Khipro and Jam Nawaz Ali, as calamity-hit areas and there is a general impression that collection of all the government dues has been put off for one year and loans/mark up of a certain category of growers has been rescheduled or written off.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan has started granting relief to some specific categories of its loan defaulters.
NO RELIEF: Despite a remarkable improvement in the water flow in canals, there has been no respite from disruption in supplies to areas hit by acute water shortage in this district.
The irrigation department continued to pursue the rotation programme on Tuesday by closing Dilshad Shakh, Dhalyar Minor, Feeder Minor, Harbari, Ghoro Shakh, Dhoro Janib Shakh of Khadro, Tando Adam-II, Bakhoro and Sanghar sub-divisions of irrigation system.
Dim Wah of Khadro sub-division, which irrigates more than 100,000 acres of land through its 175 distribution channels, is already closed for last 10 days.
Meanwhile, water level at three main canals — Jamrao, Mithrao and Khipro — has improved further. These canals originate from the Nara Canal which was flowing at almost full capacity at head-Jamrao on Tuesday.
PROTEST: The abadgars, feeding their lands through Harbari Minor of Tando Adam sub-division-II, staged a demonstration in front of the Tando Adam Press Club on Tuesday.
More than 50 farmers, led by Khuda Bux, Saleh Waryah and Ghulam Mustafa Kandero alleged that their water share had been sold by certain irrigation officials. They claimed that thousands of acres of their land and crops had been ruined due to the water-theft.
They raised slogans against the irrigation officials and demanded an inquiry into the affair.
