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SANGHAR, Nov 18: The Chotiari Distributary remained closed for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, complained the growers whose lands were irrigated through the canal.
Speaking at a gathering held in Sanghar, the chairman of the farmers’ organization, Nara Canal, Syed Ali Gohar Shah, and members of the Nara Canal Area Water Board, Yar Mohammad Baloch, Altaf Hussain Shah and Maqbool Ahmad, accused the irrigation officials of wasting water when it was needed for wheat sowing.
The growers’ leaders said that the irrigation officials were releasing water share of the Chotiari Distributary into the Ranto Canal.
They alleged that the officials had closed the Nara Canal and created an artificial shortage of water in Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Tharparkar to extort money from growers.
They alleged that after the handing over of some canals to the farmers’ organizations through the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority, the irrigation officials were trying to fail the plan and the closure of the distributary was a part of the scheme.
They said that the farmers of the distributary would incur huge losses as they would not be able to sow wheat if water was not immediately released into the canal.
Chairmen of 48 farmers organizations of the Nara Canal Area Water Board attended the meeting.
SHO: A 30-year-old woman (H) has alleged that Sanghar SHO Jeandal Shah assaulted her after she went to the police station to lodge an FIR against some persons for teasing her daughter.
Talking to journalists here on Tuesday, the woman, resident of Al-Mansoora Colony, said she had gone to the police station with an elder of the locality, Rafiq Mughal.
She said the SHO asked her to come to his residence, located near the police station.
She claimed she was assaulted by the SHO when she went to his residence.
Meanwhile, the DPO, operation, Dr Ameer Ahmad Shaikh, suspended the SHO. DSP Qamar Ahmad has recorded statement of the victim and the people of the locality. No FIR has been registered against the SHO.
When contacted by telephone, the DPO, investigation, Ali Sher Jakhrani, said the SHO was not suspended on assault charges but he was punished for taking Rs4,000 as bribe from three boys for their release.
He said the woman had not complained at the police station against the SHO.
