As a result of special recovery campaign of water cess (Aabiana), the Punjab government has been able to recover an amount of Rs 9.73 million in eight days from the defaulters. This was disclosed by the General Manager Operations of Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA) Muhammad Ashraf Khan Niazi here on Sunday. He said that 84 farmer organisations (FOs) had been formed in the Lower Chenab Canal (LCC-East), Area Water Board Faisalabad, which successfully worked on the principal of participatory management and most of the local disputes were solved at their own level. Muhammad Ashraf further said that with the efforts of these FOs the theft of canal water and illegal trespassing of the distributors have been minimised. He further said that the collection of cess was one of the basic duties of the farmer organisations. For this purpose, Khaal Punchyet Committees (KPCs) were constituted to collect Aabiana from the cultivators but some chairmen of KPCs were reluctant to deposit the amount in the FOs accounts. A special Aabiana recovery campaign was, therefore, launched against all the defaulters, he added. According to him, a specific time frame has been given to the defaulters for voluntary payment otherwise legal action would be initiated under the law against the defaulters. He said that the Tehsildar PIDA was further instructed to proceed against the Aabiana defaulters under the Land Revenue Act. Copyright Business Recorder, 2008