THATTA, May 8: Constables and head constables have complained that they had been denied payment of an allowance announced in the 1999 budget.

Police sources told Dawn that 43,074 head constables and 66,334 constables of training and transport, Sindh reserve police, traffic special branch, telecommunications and district police throughout the Sindh province had not been paid Rs1,000 announced for them in the budget as rotation, monthly TA/DA and constabulary allowance.

On March 4, 2003, the Sindh cabinet at its meeting took a notice of non-release of the allowance to police and asked the chief secretary to implement the decision.

On Nov 14, 2003, a letter for payment of the allowance was issued by the section officer, law justice and human rights division, but to no avail.

Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim had on two occasions given assurances that pay of police personnel in the province would be equalled to that of Punjab police but nothing has been done so far.

HATCHERY: Fish pond owners have urged the government to pay attention to development of the Chhilya Fish Hatchery, one of the major breeding sites of fish species in the district.

Nawaz Ali Khwaja, Iqbal Shoro, Kashif Jafri and others, in a letter to the president, said the hatchery had helped develop only 341 fish farms in various areas in the province since its establishment in 1982.

They said they were facing hardships in purchasing fish seed from the local market at a reasonable price.

They observed that establishment of fish farms would help alleviate poverty.