DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The Aiwan-i-Zaraat (Chamber of Agriculture), Dera Ismail Khan, on Sunday expressed concern over the ‘unfair’ distribution of sugar cess funds and the government’s ‘indifference’ towards the rehabilitation of Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC).

The concern was raised during a meeting on Sunday chaired by the chamber’s president Abdul Rasheed Dhap.

The participants expressed strong resentment over the provincial government’s allocation of 65 per cent of sugar cess schemes to Paharpur tehsil, while Prova, which houses three sugar mills, received only a negligible share despite dire need for construction and rehabilitation of farm to market roads.

They said four sugar mills were operational in Dera, and cess was deducted both from the mills and the farmers, generating around Rs3 billion annually. However, no meaningful development scheme had been executed in recent years.

The chamber members alleged the government ignored the committee formed to oversee the utilisation of sugar cess and instead made politically motivated decisions.

The meeting demanded that funds be allocated on an equal basis, particularly for the construction, repair and expansion of roads in Prova tehsil. The participants also voiced grave concern over the dilapidated condition of CRBC, which has not been fully rehabilitated since the 2022 floods.

They pointed out that, according to the irrigation department, farmers are suffering losses of over Rs150 billion annually due to the canal’s poor state, and cumulative damage over the past three years ran into hundreds of billions of rupees.

The Chamber of Agriculture demanded immediate rehabilitation of CRBC.

PAPER REVIEW ALLOWED: The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dera Ismail Khan, has announced the students dissatisfied with the results of the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) Annual-I Examination 2025 will be allowed to apply for rechecking and paper review, following widespread complaints, particularly regarding the Pakistan Study paper.

According to a notification, students who wish to challenge their results can submit applications for re-totalling and “show of papers” along with a fee of Rs800 per subject. The last date for submission is September 22, after which no requests will be entertained.

Speaking to Dawn, BISE Dera chairman Dr Ihsanullah said students should submit written applications to the board, which will be scrutinised by a specially constituted committee.

The scrutiny committee, approved by the chairman, has been tasked with examining all complaints and ensuring a transparent process for paper review.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2025