Flood ‘14: Farmers seek ‘fair’ distribution of compensation

They say the government has distributed aid unevenly and many still await relief

FAISALABAD:

As many as 350 farmers staged a demonstration on Tuesday to protest what they called uneven distribution of compensation in flood-hit areas.

The protesters were led by Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI). They gathered at Chund Pul where they staged a sit-in and blocked the bridge for traffic.



Ashraf Jharoki, an activist, told newsmen that farmers had been badly affected by floods in Jhang.

He said the government had distributed financial assistance haphazardly and without transparency.

He said many farmers were not given compensation. He said some people who did not have farms had also been awarded compensation.

Mehr Iftikhar Ahmad, a protester, told newsmen that two sugar mills in Jhang owed farmers Rs700 million. He said many farmers had been unable to purchase seeds and fertilisers for the next crop.

“A month ago, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the area and local farmers protested on his arrival over unfair distribution of relief money,” he said.

He said the chief minister had ordered the administration to pay compensation to those affected by floods within 48 hours.

He said many farmers were still awaiting compensation.

Abu Zar Bharwana, another protester, said the government had promised that flood-hit families would be exempted from paying electricity bills but the Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company (FESCO) had ignored the announcement and had sent huge bills to them.

He said the government should waive electricity bills and direct the sugar mills to make payments to farmers.

The protesters blocked Jhang-Sargodha Road at Chund Pul for over four hours and chanted slogans against the government.

The Jhang assistant commissioner visited the scene and pacified the protesters by assuring them that their grievances would be addressed as soon as possible.

The assistant commissioner also assured them that sugar mills not paying the farmers would be sealed. On this assurance, the farmers called off their protest and dispersed. The PKI said they would hold another protest on October 28 if their grievances were not addressed by then.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2014.