HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Thursday issued notices to the chief secretary, director general of agriculture and public health engineering secretary for June 23 on a constitutional petition seeking anti-locusts spray, compensation to small growers and farmers against the losses they suffered due to the swarms’ attacks and waiver in tax/water charges recovery from them.
Petitioner Advocate Peeral Majidano himself is appearing in court to plead his case. He submitted that due to rains in the Middle East and Iran, swarms of locusts had developed in millions and flown into Sindh. The pests devoured standing crops, orchards and farms and were still destroying green fields in different areas.
The petitioner claimed that the federal and provincial governments could not realise gravity of the situation though many districts in Sindh had been affected by the locust attacks.
He asked the court to direct the respondents to ensure anti-locusts spray, conduct a survey of the damage caused by the pest and compensate small growers and farmers. He also asked that the respondents be directed to waive revenue and water charges recovery from affected small growers and farmers.
Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2020
