SANGHAR, March 10: Revenue officials are collecting Abyana and land, cess and other taxes from growers in areas which have been declared calamity-affected by the relief department.

According to a notification issued on July 17, 2002, entire Tharparkar and Dadu districts, some talukas of Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Ghotki, Sanghar, Larkana, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze and Shikarpur districts, and 35 dehs of the defunct Malir district were declared calamity-affected.

Another notification adding some more talukas to the calamity-hit areas list for the 2002-03 Kharif season was issued by the Sindh relief commissioner on Feb 21 this year.

The revenue officials have already recovered Rs33.6 million, out of Rs44.4 million, from growers of the district.

Due to the drought, low prices of sugarcane, onions and other crops, and decline in cotton production, growers are compelled to sell their cattle and take loans to pay the dues.

A fresh notification has also been issued for the 2002-2003 Rabi season which has again created ambiguity regarding collection of dues.

Meanwhile, a senior member of the Board of Revenue issued an internal circular that the notification had nothing to do with agriculture taxes and the tax collection should be continued.

When this correspondent contacted the secretary, Board of Revenue, Hyderabad, on telephone, he said he was not in a position to comment on the issue at the moment and added a meeting of the board would be held in Karachi in this regard.

The EDO, revenue, Tanvir Ahmad Qureshi, when contacted, clarified the dues were postponed for two years and had not been waived off.

He said Abyana from canals which were handed over to farmers organizations would be collected by the irrigation department and from other canals, Abyana would be recovered by revenue officials.

Small Growers Association general-secretary Hassan Askari and district Sindh Abadgar Board president Yar Mohammad Leghari deplored growers were not provided any relief despite issuance of the notification.

They demanded of the government to announce a relief package for growers to enable them to sow the Kharif crop.