MITHI: Villagers of Gorano and its adjoining areas who have been protesting for the past six months against the construction of a saline water reservoir in their midst by the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) have decided to challenge the report on the controversial reservoir prepared by a high courtmandated commission.

The four-member commission had submitted a day before the report to the Hyderabad circuit bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC), which was hearing a petition filed by the villagers against the reservoir project.

The committee had termed the projects of saline water reservoirs in Gorano and Dukkrachhu villages `environmentally, technically and administratively sound`and declaredthefactsand figures filed by the petitioners against the projects as`highly exaggerated` The villagers led by advocate Leelaram, Lachhman, Malook and others told journalists outside the Islamkot press club that the report had failed to address their genuine fears.

They claimed the members of the committee did not physically visit the sites. They considered it suffice to have an aerial view of the areas mentioned in their report, they said.

`The commission relied on various `fake` studies including the one carried out by Tharparkar deputy commissioner,` they said.

They said that they would challenge the report in the next hearingofthe case andexpressed the hope that the two-member bench of the SHC would pass judgement in their favour.

SECMC spokesperson Mohsin Babar said in a statement that the company`s lawyers were busy studying the detailed report.

He also dismissed the villagers` claims as `baseless`.