May 11, 2003	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1424

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DADU, May 10: Growers have not been paid compensation for their land used for the construction of the Right Bank Outfall Drain.

This was revealed in a survey conducted by this correspondent.

Some 2,271 cusecs of saline water of the Main Nara Valley drain will be drained out into the sea through the 270km long RBOD which will cost Rs14 billion. Work on first phase of the project, comprising some 90km, has begin in Dadu district and remaining work in Jamshoro and Thatta areas has not been taken up yet.

The survey showed that several houses had been demolished along the Indus in Kutcha area of Sehwan and Kotri talukas and residents of about 150 villages will be finally displaced and thousands of acres of land would be occupied by the drain.

Around 10,000 farmers have not been paid compensation for their land being used in the project and some of them have reportedly taken positions at their lands and houses along the Indus in Kutcha area to resist their dislocation.

This correspondent visited the affected villages along the Indus in Kotri and Sehwan talukas to ascertain views of the local population on the RBOD project.

A resident of Ghulam Ali Daipar village, Ayaz Daipar, said that the the RBOD project officials had neither sought his permission to use his three acres of land nor had paid him any compensation.

Ramzan Mallah of Machhan village near Sehwan town said that the RBOD officers had promised to pay him compensation for his 20 acres of land in Deh Chhachh, Sehwan taluka, where they had started work but had not paid him compensation.

Another grower, Idris Kallo, said that the growers of Deh Chhachh had taken positions on their lands to resist dislocation and threatened that they would fight with the RBOD workers if they came to demolish their houses and use their lands to pave way for the project.

In Sajan Khan Shahani village near Laki Shah Saddar, an affected grower, Dadan Korar, said that the RBOD workers had demolished seven houses located near the river embankment and destroyed wheat and vegetable crops on 13 acres of land without paying any compensation.

He alleged that RBOD officers had embezzled compensation funds through their agents and threatened that if compensation was not paid to him, he would commit suicide.

A resident of Dost Ali Gaincho village of Sehwan taluka, Deerak Gaincho, said that nine houses of his village had been demolished and 22 acres of land destroyed but no compensation had been paid to owners of the houses and land.

He said that he had complained to the chief engineer of RBOD project but he neither paid compensation nor visited the area.

Syed Jumman Shah of Lakhmir village, Kotri taluka, said that RBOD officers had destroyed crop standing on nine acres of land in Deh Thati but had not paid compensation. He also alleged that the officers had embezzled compensation amount.

When contacted, assistant engineer, RBOD project, Sehwan sub-division, Waqar Ahmed Qadri, said that land compensation would be paid to 2,500 growers in his sub-division.

This correspondent also contacted the superintending engineer of the RBOD project, Nazeer Ahmed Junejo, but he refused to offer any comment.