August 20, 2007	Monday	Sha’aban 6, 1428

MUZAFFARGARH, Aug 19: A World Bank team and the panel of social environmental experts paid a two-day fact finding visit to Taunsa Barrage and met villagers affected by the Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation project.

The Sindhu Tarla Bachao and Actionaid, Islamabad, arranged the visit while the team would submit its report to the Punjab government within a week.

Reports said that hundred of affected villagers protested against the Descon construction company and Irrigation department officials of the Taunsa Barrage.

Villagers of Basti Sheikhan and Allahwali informed World Bank representatives and social environmental experts Laslund from Bangkok and Dr Harvey from Norway that they were awaiting help from the government and the WB.

Fazal Gurmani and Zafar Lund of Sindhu Tarla Bachao told experts that hundred of families were displaced owing to the Taunsa project.

They said the Irrigation department had built houses for them but the shortage of toilets and the absence of sewerage system were becoming a major cause of spread of various diseases. They also said that they were not facilitated with any dispensary.

A good number of fisherwomen also expressed their resentment against the irrigation officials for not allowing them to catch the fish.