BADIN, Feb 15: District relief committee at its meeting here on Saturday demanded that the Sindh government should release Rs434.7 million compensation for rain victims.

The meeting, presided over by newly appointed chairman, Ali Akbar Nizamani, recommended release of Rs10 million on emergency basis. The meeting was informed that more than Rs10 million were distributed from the Zakat fund among 2,700 rain victims for the construction of their houses.

It was also informed that growers of the calamity-hit areas were forced to pay Abiyana and agriculture loans though their crops were damaged in the rains.The committee demanded that the Sindh government should exempt the growers from paying land revenue, Abiyana, Ushr and other taxes.

It decided that the relief fund would be distributed through the district government. The meeting took notice of absence of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority director and directed the Left Bank Outfall Drain director to present a detailed report about plan of the drain remodelling.