Compensation for rain-hit traders urged

The Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori has assured the rain hit traders and citizens of Hyderabad that the government will try to compensate their losses. Tessori, who visited several localities of Hyderabad on Saturday before addressing a press conference at a hotel, proposed that both the federal and provincial governments should reimburse the affected people of Hyderabad.

"One thing is certain the traders and even the ordinary citizens have suffered financial losses," the Governor emphasised. He further asserted that compensation has become indispensable so that the affected traders, especially those who have suffered serious losses may resume their trade.

He observed that the two ways of compensation include one by the provincial government and the other by the centre. Governor Tessori said a federal committee comprising MNAs and a provincial committee comprising MPAs should be constituted to assess the losses and decide the amount of compensation. According to him, the tax waivers by the two governments can also be made a means to reimburse the losses.

He advised the rain-hit people to submit details of their losses to the federal government through their elected Members of the National Assembly (MNAs). The Gvernor assured that he will make every effort to secure the federal tax waivers. He said an Additional Secretary will be appointed to facilitate coordination between the traders' community and the federal government to address the civic issues.

The governor apprised that the centre had announced a Rs10 billion development package for Hyderabad, adding that half of that allocation has already been disbursed. Tessori announced the establishment of an information technology institute in Hyderabad which he expected will benefit over 50,000 students. He told that governor house funded IT courses will also commence within the next two months in Hyderabad.