THATTA, Oct 14: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf to announce a special agricultural package for water-strived districts of Thatta and Badin as was promised by him in his inauguration address to the Kissan Conference in Islamabad on June 10 this year.

Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, SCA Thatta district president Shahzad Shah, Badin president Mohammad Khan Sarijo and office-bearers Siddique Thaheem, Qadir Bux Leghari, Mohammad Ali Shah and Mohammad Hassan Dal said coastal talukas of Jati, Kharo Chhan, Keti Bundar, Shah Bundar and Ghorabari in Thatta district and Shaheed Fazil Raho, Tando Bago and Badin talukas in Badin district had been worst affected for the last couple of years.

They said a chronic shortage of water in these areas due to water diversion upstream had resulted in a drought-like situation. They said from 1982 to 1998, the two districts had been declared as calamity-stricken for 12 times.

In 1999, the two districts were hit by a catastrophic cyclone. In 2000, the area was jolted by a powerful earthquake. In 2003, torrential rains, flash floods, breaches in the LBOD and sea intrusion resulted in the death of 500 people and starvation in the area.

They said the State Bank owing to bankruptcy and other reasons had recently exempted a bumper amount of over Rs27 billion outstanding against the sick industrial units in the country.

In Karachi, Rs170 million grant in aid had been extended to the inhabitants of no-go areas. They said recently announced agricultural package of the 50 per cent exemption to Sindh and 75 per cent to Balochistan in loan outstanding had already been extended but the facility was not enough for Thatta and Badin districts.

Realizing the deteriorating agricultural sector and miserable conditions of farmers, a total waiver of loan and interest should be announced, they said. They appealed to the president that incentives and subsidies might be given in the districts to help stand firm the farmers on their footings and revitalize the agricultural sector.