LAHORE, Oct 24: Thousands of residents of flood-hit Rajanpur district are being deprived of irrigation water, while the provincial government has reneged on its promise to waive or defer agricultural loan repayments to the victims.

This was stated by Saif Muastoi, the Rajanpur coordinator of the Kissan Mazdoor Ittehad, and Naema Malik of the South Asian Partnership (SAP) at a press conference here on Friday.

Outlining the gravity of situation in the area that was hit by floods in the first week of August, Muastoi said 20,000 people in 160 villages of the district were displaced, 13 were killed, 3,700 homes were damaged and 4,100 cattle died.

He said following Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s visit to the area, residents were promised that agricultural loans issued to them by the Punjab Rural Support Programme (PRSP) and the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) would be waived.

A total of 7,102 borrowers owe Zarai Taraqiati Bank, National Bank, Bank of Punjab, Habib Bank and Cooperatives Bank Rs894 million.

“They have sent notices demanding immediate repayment, and deny ever having received a waiver notice from the government,” he said.

He lashed out at so-called federal “mega-projects” including the Kuchi Canal which runs through Rajanpur to Balochistan -- blaming it not only for diverting water from thousands of residents, but also for contributing to severe flooding in the first place.

The canal, which, he said, was built at a cost of Rs19 billion, diverted water from villages to the west, depriving 400,000 people of essential water channels because of the 1991 Water Accord to provide more water to Baluchistan. In addition, he said, the concrete structure of the canal as well as the fact its minor channels were removed contributed to the severe flooding.

“Instead of making their decisions in offices in Islamabad and Lahore, the government should consult us, the residents and the real stakeholders,” he said, adding that the Dajal Canal which supplied water to the east of the province was now only active for 6 months.

Naeema Malik of SAP said: “All the chief minister accomplished was the sacking of the district coordination officer. None of the promises were kept.”

Muastoi also expressed gratitude for the relief efforts of non-governmental organisations, Action Aid and Caritas, which, he said, distributed aid to 1,200 families.