THATTA, Oct 16: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar has said that some people were trying to gain cheap popularity in the name of the Kalabagh dam, whereas the Sindh government has already decided not to support the project without taking the people into confidence.

He said this while speaking at a large public gathering at Makli on Thursday.

He said that the ever-changing environmental and ecological scenario of the region, growing graph of population, and water requirements of the province, as well as other factors, were important enough for the Sindh population to think about the future generation.

Underlining the importance of more reservoirs for a prosperous Pakistan, the chief minister cautioned that if dams were not constructed, Sindh in general and Thatta district in particular would suffer irreparable losses in future, thus the people of Sindh should consider the importance of dams.

Announcing the entire Thatta district as calamity hit, in addition to some of the Talukas of the district already declared as calamity hit and responding to the complaints of people about forcible recoveries by Zarai Taraqiati Bank officials, Mr Mahar said that the prime minister had already announced a package of waiving agricultural loans and postponement of the recoveries in rain-affected areas.

The chief minister directed the DPO, Thatta, Nadir Khoso, to put in jails those Zarai Taraqiati Bank officials who tried to harass the growers on the pretext of recovering loans.

Regarding providing further relief where Zarai Taraqiati Bank loans were concerned, he said the government of Sindh will approach the federal government to waive off loans upto Rs50,000 in rain-affected areas.

Commenting on the ruined irrigation network in Sindh, Mr Mahar said President Gen Pervez Musharraf has allocated huge funds for its revamping and soon silt clearance and excavation work would be carried out.

He said efforts were being made to improve the necropolis of Makli, Shahjahan Mosque, Keenjhar Lake, Bhambhor and other tourist sites in Thatta to attract more visitors from within and abroad so as to generate revenues and to apprise the people of the rich historical past of Thatta.

Responding to the demands made by District Nazim Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi, the chief minister announced water supply scheme phase-II for Sujawal, digital telephone exchange for four towns, three ambulances, four Basic Health Units, and Rs10 million for repairing Thatta town roads.

He assured to move the federal government for supplying gas to various towns of Thatta.

He advised that everybody should provide education to their children.

Provincial Minister Irfan Gul Magsi, Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi, MNA Mohammad Ali Malkani, District Nazim Shafqat Shah Shirazi, Ghulam Qadir Malkani and Abdul Rehman Memon, district president PML(Q), also spoke.

TWO ELECTROCUTED: Two brothers, Latif Ahmed, 30, and Mithoo, 18, were electrocuted when they stepped on hanging wires in the Ibrahim Nahion village, near Sujawal, on Thursday.

When the public started protesting, the Sujawal police registered an FIR against the SDO, Hesco, Sujawal, and other staff for criminal negligence.