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FAISALABAD, Dec 29: A foreign-funded water supply project could not be launched due to the intervention of farmers of Chiniot.
A team of Wasa officials headed by Managing Director Ghiasuddin along with some representatives of the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) faced stiff reaction from Mohtai village farmers in Chiniot, Jhang district. Villagers forced the team members to vacate the place where the officials had come to survey for the installation of tubewells.
The team members tried to convince the farmers especially youngsters, but to no avail. The highups of Wasa and the foreign delegate immediately managed their escape to avoid any untoward incident.
Farmers claimed the subsoil water of their village had become brackish due to the pumping of water by tubewells installed during the last one decade.
The Wasa had planned to purchase the land from farmers for the installation of tubewells but failed to convince them. Farmers also alleged that they were being victimized and harassed. Wasa officials, they blamed, were forcing them to sell their land at throwaway prices.
It was after a long efforts that Faisalabad Wasa succeeded in finalizing a mega water supply project for citizens with a huge financial assistance of JICA. The Wasa and JICA had prepared a plan to provide sweet water and finalized the report in the first quarter of 1998. The JICA had already assured to provide billions of rupees as financial aid for this project, but it was postponed due to restrictions imposed by international agencies after the explosion of nuclear devices in May 1998.
After long discussions and reminders by Wasa highups and officials of the provincial government, JICA authorities held meetings with local authorities and revived the plan. According to the plan, Rs3.5 billion will be spent on this mega water supply project which will help Wasa to raise its net of consumers up to 20 per cent.
BYELECTIONS: At least 10 candidates are in the race for the byelection of PP-61 where neck-to-neck fight is expected between nominees of the PML-Q and the joint candidate of PML-N and PPP.
As many as 16 candidates of different political parties and independents had filed their nomination papers, but six of them withdrew their candidature. Former PML-N MPA Zahid Mehmood Goraya had also surrendered in favour of the PML-N candidate.
PML-N’s Muhammad Rasheed Saeed supported by the PPP and PML-Q’ Dildar Ahmad Cheema are main contestants while MMA’s Mian Abdul Raoof is also struggling hard to muster support of voters.
Pervez Akhtar, Haji Muhammad Yaseen, Raja Mannan Ahmed, Huma Zohra Kazmi, Shafaat Ali, Qaisar Idrees Gujjar and Maj Muhammad Aslam (retired) are also in the field.
Earlier, the PML-N had allotted the ticket to Qaisar Idrees while the PML-Q issued the ticket to Muhammad Rasheed who was also a ticket-holder in the October elections. But in a sudden move, the PML-Q allotted its ticket to ex-MNA Sardar Dildar Cheema who lost the October elections to PML-N nominee Rana Asif Tauseef. The PML-N also reacted quickly and allotted the ticket to Muhammad Rasheed when he joined the PML-N.
Local political circles termed this development dynamic as the PPP and PML-N fielded a joint candidate against the PML-Q aspirant.
The elections on PP-61 were postponed due to the death of PPP nominee Mian Farooq Israr advocate during the election campaign.
Meanwhile, PML-J nominee Khalid Saeed Gill announced to withdraw in favour of the PML-Q nominee.
