February 24, 2003	Monday	Zul Hijjah 22, 1423

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GUJRANWALA, Feb 23: Farmers in Wazirabad tehsil demanded that the Punjab chief minister should declare flood affected villages the calamity-hit areas besides providing them soft term loans and other agricultural equipment.

This demand was made by farmers at a meeting held in Wazirabad on Sunday under the chairmanship of the Kissan Bachao Tehrik district president, Javed Khan Manj. Farmers said the recent rains and flood had damaged their wheat, vegetables, fodder and other crops.

They said they had to spend much amount on growing these crops, and now they had no money to purchase seed, pesticides and agricultural equipment for growing any crop.

They said that Alipur Chattha and Chenab bela areas, including Sodana, Copra, Kotli Behram, Kaka Keter, Jameki Chattha, Mancher Chattha and adjacent areas along the Head Khanki, were badly affected.

They also demanded that the Punjab government should compensate the people whose houses were collapsed during the rains and gale in Mancher Chattha.

EXPOSES: The recent rains have exposed the ‘corruption’ of a building contractor when a newly-constructed road inaugurated some two weeks ago developed potholes at various places in Kamoki.

Residents demanded that the Punjab chief minister should order holding an impartial inquiry against the building contractor and officials concerned of the district council for constructing defective road.

Some residents told newsmen here on Sunday that Muhammad Yousaf, brother of union council Nazim Muhammad Azam, had been awarded the contract for the construction of Mandia Road.

They alleged that the contractor had used substandard material and received full payment of Rs1.5 million. They said the road was inaugurated by district Nazim Fiaz Ahmad Chattha some two weeks ago.

FARMERS’ DAY: The Livestock Department will observe a ‘farmers day’ in Chaba Sundhawan village on March 5.

This was stated by a spokesman of the Livestock Department here on Sunday.

He said that Punjab Livestock secretary Akhlaq Ahmad Tarer would be the chief guest.