HYDERABAD, Dec 6: The Sindh Abadgar Board has expressed concern over a Sindh government notification fixing the sugarcane price at Rs41 per 40 kilograms and demanded that the price should be increased to Rs43 per 40kgs.

The SAB’s working committee at a meeting held here on Saturday further demanded that the payment of quality premium of 50 paisa per 40kgs should also be included in the notification.

It urged the government to ensure the payment of sugarcane supplied to sugar mills in one week in accordance with the Sugarcane Act.

It said the government should take steps to eliminate the role of middlemen.

On the availability of water, the SAB observed that although 92 per cent water was available in the country, Sindh was experiencing shortage of water.

It demanded release of water in canals of the Kotri Barrage where even drinking water was not available.

The meeting called upon the irrigation department to end the water rotation programme at tail-end areas of Sukkur Barrage channels and change the gates of the Qasim Fall.

Expressing concern over irregularities in water distribution in the upper Gaji Minor and Ghotki Feeder channels, the meeting demanded that the irrigation department should ensure water supply to the tail-end. It further demanded that the Left Bank Outfall Drain and other drains should be repaired to ensure the discharge of effluent.