December 12, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 7, 1423

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NAWABSHAH, Dec 11: Despite the fact that the government has fixed the price of sugarcane at Rs43 per 40kg, the Habib Sugar Mills is offering Rs36 per 40kg.

An official of the mill, Nawab Khan, told this correspondent the mill owners had decided to pay Rs36 per 40kg of sugarcane. The general manager of the mill was not available for comments.

This has created resentment among sugarcane growers, who are already facing difficulties due to delay in the crushing season.

The delay in the crushing has also put the sowing of wheat crop at risk as according to experts, it will be difficult for growers to sow the crop after Dec 20.

The president of the Sindh Small Growers Association, Nawabshah, Hakim Khaskheli, told this correspondent most of growers had returned indents of the Habib Sugar Mills, offering Rs36 per 40kg.

He said the mill had paid up to Rs60 per 40kg to influential landlords last year but was now creating problems for growers.

ZARDARI: Asif Ali Zardari was brought to Nawabshah amid tight security on Wednesday afternoon to attend his mother’s Chehlum on Thursday.

When contacted, DPO Khamiso Khan Memon confirmed the arrival of Asif Zardari.

The DPO said he was unaware for how long Asif Zardari would stay in Nawabshah.

Sources in the Zardari House told this correspondent Asif Zardari would be taken back to Karachi on Friday.

Unhygienic conditions: The incidence of gastroenteritis and malaria have assumed alarming proportions in Nawabshah city and adjoining villages due to supply of contaminated water, unhygienic conditions and pools of stagnant sewerage water.

During a survey conducted by this correspondent, the people criticized the taluka municipal administration and the health department for their apathetic attitude, saying that the diseases were fast spreading because of their negligence and inefficiency.

The health officials, they said, had not carried out the annual anti-malaria spray this year.

Sanitary conditions, they said, had deteriorated because of the inefficiency of the taluka municipal administration.

There was only one defective spray machine at the health office, they said, adding that the health officials had asked the taluka municipal administration for funds for its repair.

Dr Ghaffar Rathor, who examines at least 250 patients on a daily basis, said that he treated between 30 and 40 cases of gastroenteritis, 20 and 25 cases of malaria and 15 to 20 cases of other infectious respiratory diseases every day.