MIRPURKHAS, Sept 28: Local leaders of political parties and social welfare organisations have held the DCO and fertiliser dealers responsible for shortage of fertiliser in the district and said that the shortage has hit standing crops of cotton, chilli, onion, sugarcane and vegetables.

Asghar Narejo of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Zahoor Leghari of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz and Dr Anand Kumar and Hameed Channa of NGOs at a joint press conference accused the DCO and fertiliser dealers of fleecing farmers by taking advantage of an artificial shortage of urea.

They said that although the DCO had earlier announced that action would be taken against urea hoarders but, they alleged, recently he asked the dealers to dispatch a large quantity of urea to the Otaqs (guesthouses) of influential people of the area.

They demanded that the government should take notice of the commission mafia and ensure that farmers got adequate supply of fertilisers.

Widespread complaints of shortage and unfair distribution of urea fertilisers have in recent past led to protests in many parts of the province including Mirpurkhas.

Growers complain that the dealers, in collusion with officials concerned, have created artificial shortage of the essential agricultural input to fleece them in the absence of an effective system of check on the distribution of urea.

They also complain that the same fertiliser and urea, which is short in stores and depots is available in the blackmarket at prohibitively high rates. They demand that the government ensure they were supplied fertiliser bags fixed price of Rs635 per bag.

Our Dadu correspondent adds: PPP MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali asked the local administration on Sunday to end artificial shortage of wheat and fertiliser and ensure fertiliser and wheat bags were distributed in a transparent manner.

Speaking at a gathering the MNA said that fertiliser and wheat should be sold at government-fixed prices and local administration should ensure that action was taken against the dealers who were overcharging.

The PPP government would provide all the necessary facilities to people at their doorsteps, he said and appreciated police for removing encroachments from Shahi Bazaar, Rai Bazaar and Station Road.