September 02, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 1, 1429

THATTA, Sept 1: A phone call to the Thatta administration allegedly by an influential minister in the Sindh government on Sunday led to the despatch of a fertiliser-laden trailer to some unknown destination from Sujawal, leaving behind a frustrated crowd of small growers who had queued since small hours of the morning.

Office-bearers and members of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, PPP activists and an official of the district administration told Dawn that DDO (agriculture) Dr Abdul Nabi Pathan, had spotted the trailer (TLF-375) of a private firm, loaded with 1,200 bags of Sona urea, parked in front of a hotel in Sujawal.

He immediately got in touch with the DCO and called police.

Investigations revealed that the urea consignment had been despatched from Chiniot, Punjab, and the driver as well as other workers in the vehicle did not know to whom it was to be delivered.

Upon learning about the seizure, over 200 small growers rushed to the site, hoping to purchase it. The police and the DDO sought the help of a PPP office-bearer, Haji Mohsin Sindhi, and some members of the Thatta Chamber of Agriculture to negotiate terms for the sale with growers’ representatives.

The PPP man and the traders’ representatives decided to sell all 1,200 bags at the official rate of Rs 635 per bag to the abadgars.

Suddenly Kaka Chetan Mal, a local trader, emerged from the crowd claiming that the consignment belonged to a nephew of his and he would not allow its sale. By that time, the administration had sold out 197 bags.

Kaka Chetan then approached the DDO, who warned the enraged abadgars against taking the law into their own hands. In the meantime, the vehicle drove away.

A statement by the local administration said on Monday it had asked fertiliser companies to supply 80,000 bags of urea within ten days.

A meeting has recommended that raids be carried out to seize the commodity from hoarders.