SAHIWAL, June 23 A committee comprising government officials and stakeholders, constituted by the district coordination officer, which fixed the storage rent for a potato bag at Rs260 has failed to allay reservations of cold storage owners who feel they have been coerced into accepting the rate.

While DCO Muhammad Khan Khichi claims the matter has been resolved, the local Cold Storage Owners Association representatives think differently.

About two weeks ago, following a disagreement over storage rent between cold storage owners and potato growers, the latter protested for two days on Lahore-Multan road, demanding decrease in per bag rent. The farmers were baton charged by police.

The next day, some 200 potato farmers were booked under 16 MPO by police. Later, 38 potato growers moved the District Consumer Protection Council (DCPC) against cold storage owners for not displaying their rent rate.

District Nazim Rai Hasan Nawaz too tried to solve the matter but no consensus could be reached between two sides, as potato farmers' representatives were not ready to pay more than Rs220 as storage rent for a potato bag, while cold storage owners were demanding Rs320 for the same.

To resolve the issue, the DCO constituted a five-member committee comprising Wapda Revenue Officer Mr Farhat, EDO (Agriculture) Mr Liaquat, District Agriculture Officer Mr Farooq, besides one representative each of potato growers and cold storage owners association.

The committee, after mutual consultation, apparently took a middle path on Monday when it fixed Rs260 rent for a potato bag.

Sources privy to the meeting's proceedings told Dawn that cold storage owners' representative Mr Farhat Abbas walked out of the session at a point, alleging he was being forced to accept the rent. However, he was later convinced to rejoin the meeting.

Meanwhile, around five potato growers, out of total 38 have unconditionally withdrawn their applications submitted to the DCPC.

DCPC head Mr Shahid said still 33 applications were lying with the council and a report in this regard had been submitted to the DCO.

An insider told Dawn the cold storage owners' association had serious reservations over the rent rate and it would announce its future strategy within two days.

However, the cold storage owners had started charging the 'agreed upon' rate, though half-heartedly, he added.

DACOITIES Dacoits hit at least three times in different areas of the district on Tuesday. In the first incident, four dacoits entered Ashraf's residence at Small Industries Estate.

After locking all family members in one room, the dacoits collected Rs0.1 million cash and eight tola gold from the house and fled away by Ashraf's car which was later found abandoned in a nearby graveyard.

In the second hit, eight armed men scaled the boundary wall of Jahan Khan's house in 53/5-L village. The outlaws locked the family members in a room and took away valuables worth Rs0.28 million. Eyewitness said there were two women among the dacoits.

Unidentified thieves broke into the house of an intelligence officer in Farid Town and took away valuables worth 0.45 million.