SWABI, July 7: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has stopped payment to the owner of the Topi Adda (bus stand) after his failure to build washrooms and sheds at the Adda under an agreement reached between the two parties.

Sources said that three years back an agreement was signed between Ijaz Khan, the owner of the Topi Adda, and the TMA under which the owner was required to provide facilities to commuters and workers of different wagon services which used the place.

The facilities included construction of washrooms, sheds and rest rooms for drivers and cleaners and sheds and benches for commuters. The TMA was supposed to pay Rs130,000 per month to the land owner under the agreement.

However, the land owner failed to fulfil his part of the agreement and so far only 10 sheds had been constructed. The sources said that Tehsil Nazim Masood Jabbar had told Ijaz Khan that no amount could be paid to him unless he met all the conditions. The land owner had also been reportedly told that the construction of 10 sheds could not make him entitled to the agreed amount.

The contractor of the A2dda, who oversees working of different bus services, has also developed differences with the land owner. The contractor has reportedly refused to shift vehicles to the newly-constructed sheds, claiming that sub-standard material was used in their construction.

He has taken the plea that he could not put the life of workers and commuters in danger. The non-availability of necessary facilities at the bus stand has aggravated the agony of commuters who resent the inability of the TMA to get the matter resolved.

Meanwhile, owning to the ongoing standoff between the TMA and the land owner, the vendors of the Topi Adda have been deprived of their livelihood. They said that both parties insisted on collecting daily rent/tax and it was not possible for them to pay both of them separately.

The vendors told Dawn that on a number of occasions they had brought it to the notice of the TMA that they paid regularly to its staff. However, they alleged, the money did not reach the exchequer.

TOBACCO GROWERS DEMAND: The Virginia tobacco growers have demanded of the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) to play its role in abolition of 15 grades introduced by tobacco companies.

They said that the tobacco marketing law had allowed only 12 grades but the companies had introduced 15 grades which was a sheer violation of the law. The demanded that PTB officials should monitor the situation as to how cigarette manufacturing companies purchased tobacco from the growers at lower prices.

They said in the new grading system a big advantage for companies was that leaf managers could easily indulged in down-grading of the produce and exploited the growers by bringing the prices down. They demanded of the board to withdraw the new grading system introduced by tobacco companies.