THATTA, July 28: Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has announced that recovery of Abyana and land tax in the rain-hit district has been suspended and he will urge the federal government to waive off agricultural loans of farmers.

He said army personnel would launch a rescue operation in the Thatta coastal belt on Tuesday.

Talking to journalists at the Begna Mori guest house of Jat tribe chieftain Ghulam Qadir Malkani near here on Monday, Mr Mahar said it was impossible to carry out the operation in the area through helicopters due to the rough weather.

The chief minister was informed by elected representatives that around 7,000 villagers were stranded in Deh Kar Malik and Deh Kothi of the Jati taluka. He was told that the situation in Mirpur Sakro, Ghorabari, Keti Bunder, Kharo Chan and Shah Bunder talukas was no different.

Mr Mahar said his government was considering to declare the affected areas calamity-hit areas but the announcement would be made after a detailed survey was conducted.

The chief minister announced Rs100,000 for the family of a person who was killed in the recent rain.

Mr Mahar promised that he would review the fishing contract award system in the River Indus and announce policies which would benefit fishermen.

MPA Imtiaz Shah told Mr Mahar that over 5,000 villagers, mainly of the fishermen community, were marooned in Keti Bunder and Mirpur Sakro talukas.

In Jati, Shah Bunder and Ghorabari, crops standing over hundreds of acres were under rainwater. The areas are also cut off from the rest of the district.

Earlier, the chief minister visited relief camps in Sujawal, Chuhar Jamali and Jati towns.