HYDERABAD, April 24: Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Mallah Tanzim chairman Mohammad Arab Mallah has appealed to the Sindh chief minister to order release of sweet water into all lakes and ponds of the province and enact a law to protect rights of fishermen in the light of a Supreme Court decision.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, he demanded a system of licence for catching fish should be introduced and the contract system be abolished.

He also called for enforcing the ban on use of prohibited fishing nets.

Arab Mallah proposed that a joint meeting of representatives of fishermen, fisheries minister and officials concerned of the department should be held under the chairmanship of the chief minister to evolve a clear-cut policy on fishing to resolve fishermen’s problems.

He regretted that no action had been taken against corrupt officials of the fisheries department and so-called representatives of fishermen.

He further said that no auction had been held for catching fish downstream Kotri. He said that contractors were depriving fishermen of their inherent right to catch fish.

Arab Mallah criticized an organization of fishermen which was allegedly using blackmailing tactics on the one hand and crying hoarse for rights of fishermen on the other.

He also opposed the mole system of fishing and claimed that due to this system, the government had suffered a loss of Rs35 million in 1995.

ELECTED: Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah was re-elected the president of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture at its general body meeting held here on Sunday.

The meeting adopted a resolution demanding that the government should reduce brokerage and commission rates on fruits by 50 per cent, hold elections of market committees and remove administrators for smooth working of the committees.

Another resolution demanded that Wapda should provide subsidy on electricity for tube-wells in Sindh on the pattern of Balochistan and Punjab. It further said that Wapda should issue electricity bills in the first week of a month instead of the last week and give at least one week for payment of bills.