PESHAWAR: Tobacco growers have rejected the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Smoking/Tobacco Products and Protection of Nonsmokers Health Bill, 2016 and termed it an attempt to deprive the farmers of their livelihood.

Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, the growers demanded amendments to the bill in consultation with farmers prior to its approval from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

A representative of Kashtkar Coordination Council, Awal Sher Khan, said that the provincial government had recently tabled a tobacco eradication bill in the provincial assembly without holding proper consultation with the farmers.

He said that tobacco was the major cash crop of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a source of income for over 8,000 farmers in nine districts, adding that over 250,000 members of growers` families were dependent on this important crop.

Sher Khan said that about 80 per cent of tobacco was produced in Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Bunner, Nowshera, Swat, Malakand and Manshera. He said that the federal government used to collect Rs115 billion annually from different taxes on tobacco, while the provincial government also generated revenue by charging tobacco cess.

Flanked by KP Chamber of Agriculture president Mohammad Zahir, provincial president Kisan Board Rizwanullah, Ikhtlyar Ahmad and scores of tobacco growers, Sher Khan said that smolcing at public places and cigarette advertisements had already been banned and growers had no objection to it.

However, he said that any ban on tobacco cultivation would not be tolerated. He feared that if the bill was passed in its present shape it would promote sale of illegal cigarettes in the country.

Rizwanullah criticised the provincial government for its failure to form any indigenous agriculture policy and offer incentives to the growers to boost the agriculture sector.

Another farmer from Mansehra, Mohammad Zahir, rejected the perception that tobacco was the main cause of cancer and said drinking alcohol was the major cause of cancer disease.

He said that if the provincial government was worried about the health of people it should take steps for provision of drinking water to them, as many people suffered from hepatitis `C` after consuming contaminated water in different parts of the province. He urged the government to shun the anti-growers policy and avoid passing the proposed bill unilaterally.

The tobacco farmers urged the government to review the bill, warning that in case otherwise they would be compelled to launch a protest movement and stage sit-in protest outside the provincial assembly. Bureau Report