MULTAN, July 12: Despite assurances by the government, the supply of irrigation water and telephone service are yet to be restored to Peerowal farms.

Anjuman-i-Mazareen vice-president Dr Christopher John told Dawn on Friday that at a recent meeting with the government functionaries in Lahore, the authorities had promised to restore suspended amenities of life to Peerowal tenants.

He said the siege to Peerowal farms by police had been ended but the irrigation water had yet to be released to the channels that soaked the PSC farms. He said restoration of the amenities was pre-condition of the Anjuman-i-Mazareen to hold talks with the government on July 9, but the authorities had not honoured their undertaking.

He said due to the suspension of water, the standing cotton crop was being destroyed while the livestock was becoming sick.

He also criticized the management of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited for keeping all the Peerowal farms’ telephone lines suspended for the last three weeks without any justification.

When contacted, PTCL’s Multan region PRO Imran Gardezi said there was a fault in the underground cable. He had no answer when asked why the fault could not be rectified even after the passage of three weeks.

SEMINAR: The Sustainable Agriculture Group is organizing a seminar to discuss pros and cons of the corporate agriculture farming here on Saturday.