SANGHAR, Sept 29: The Sanghar District Council has demanded that the government should ensure payment of the fixed minimum support price of Rs925 per 40 kilograms of cotton.

Members of the council at a meeting held here on Wednesday also demanded establishment of filter plants in cotton ginning factories and a centre of the Trading Corporation of Pakistan in the district.

DCO Allah Dino Shar told the session that letters had been sent to the secretary for the local government in this respect. He said cotton ginning factory owners had been directed to install filter plants, adding that their units would be closed if they did not comply with the order.

Mr Shar said Rs210 million had been allocated in the budget for repair of government buildings but only 25 per cent of the amount had been released, causing delay in completion of the schemes.

He assured the members that funds would be provided for lining of watercourses. The members regretted that cotton rate had fallen to Rs850 per 40kgs. Women councillors demanded that they should be paid honorarium.

WIDOW: A widow, Mumtaz Begum, resident of Padri Jo Goth, near here, has accused Father Ken of forcibly occupying her house. The widow has been working in homes in Karachi to earn livelihood since the death of her husband. She said when she was in Karachi, Father Ken occupied her house.