PESHAWAR: MPA Jamsheed Khan Mohmand on Tuesday demanded of the provincial government to declare Takht Bhai tehsil as calamity-hit area because it was severely affected by the recent rainfall.

The lawmaker also demanded of the government to provide compensation to local farmers as soon as possible, according to a statement issued here.

He said that he would be compelled to knock at the door of Peshawar High Court if the provincial government did not take concrete steps in that regard.

The lawmaker from PK-55 constituency said that the recent rainfall and storm destroyed tobacco, sugarcane, vegetables and fruits in Mardan district, especially in Takht Bhai tehsil, that would lead to bankruptcy of local farmers.

He claimed that the centre was receiving Rs200 billion tobacco taxes from those areas but unfortunately tobacco was placed in the list of narcotics instead of crops.

He said that tobacco growers did not receive due price of the crop. He said that he would raise voice for farmers on the floor of assembly because rainfall and storm had not only damaged tobacco crop but also vegetables, fruits and sugarcane.

The MPA said that the farmers would stop growing tobacco, vegetables and fruits in the area if government failed to compensate them. It would cause shortage of edibles in the area, he added.

He urged the government to conduct damage assessment survey and provide compensation to those farmers, whose crops were damaged in the recent rainfall.

He asked the district administration to play due role in the crisis faced by farmers.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2021