December 06, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 25, 1428

HYDERABAD, Dec 5: Serious notice has been taken on mills’ refusal to pay fixed sugarcane rate to growers, said caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Abdul Qadir Halepoto here on Wednesday.

He said a meeting of all stakeholders had been called in Karachi where mill owners would be asked to abide by the government’s decision.

This he said while addressing a reception hosted by Tando Fazal UC Nazim Ghulam Abbas Unnar in village Haji Imam Ali Unnar.

The chief minister said the holding of elections in free, fair and transparent manner was the prime duty of the caretaker government and it would not allow anyone to disturb the peace and rule of law duding the polls.

He said that the sugar mills were taking advantage of the situation but hopefully they will keep in mind the ground realities and would not do injustice to anyone.

He said there was a caretaker government in power that neither had any affiliation with any political group nor had to face any opposition because it was impartial and fair to each and every individual and organisation.

He advised people to fully participate in the elections with maximum turnout and assured that law and order situation during the elections and on the polling day would be maintained at all costs.

Referring to the demands presented by Tando Fazal UC Nazim Ghulam Abbas Unnar the caretaker chief minister said that the government had been undertaking serious efforts to providing basic facilities to people but it was also responsibility of the profit making organizations to spare some money for community development in their respective areas.

He regretted that the management of Tando Alam Oil Field was availing the facility of gas but people of the area were deprived of this facility.

He said that it was also deplorable if the claim of UC Nazim Ghulam Abbas Unnar was right, stating that community welfare funds of Rs7.5 billion were lying unutilised in the account of the OGDC.

He said he would approach the federal ministry concerned to know the actual position for utilization of share for community welfare funds specially recovered from the Tando Alam Field and would try to get it utilised in the interest of the people.

While talking about the public welfare schemes, the Sindh chief minister asked the UC nazim to get all his demands of public schemes documented and submitted with feasibility reports within shortest possible time so that these could be get approved and implemented.