GUJRANWALA, May 3: Farmers protested against the recovery of water cess by the irrigation department without providing canal water and demanded that the decision should be withdrawn immediately. At a meeting held here on Tuesday under Kissan Board chairman Chaudhry Riaz Cheema, the participants said a large number of farmers were not using tubewells or Peter engines to water their fields. But the irrigation department sent them water cess bill at the rate of Rs85 per acre which was illegal.

They said recovery was being made through revenue officials and patwaris.

When contacted, a senior irrigation official said the Punjab government imposed water cess which was being received without any discrimination.

He advised the farmers who were not using canal water to contact divisional canal officer who would return their amount following verification.