01 June 2004	Tuesday	12 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

HYDERABAD, May 31: A large number of tail-end growers of the Khachhar Shakh, Naseer Division, Rohri Canal, held protest demonstrations outside the press club and the office of the superintending engineer, Rohri Canal , here on Monday against shortage of water.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Ghaffar Sarewal, Mohammad Saeed Leghari, Noor Ahmad Leghari, Mohammad Aslam Leghari and others said that no water had been released in the Khachar Shakh for four months.

They said that standing crops had been destroyed due to non-availability of water. They regretted that even drinking water was not available in Manak Leghari, Bachal Machhi, Nim Machhi, Haji Allah Dino Sarewal, Qasim Bhatti and other villages. The growers said that villagers were forced to drink contaminated water from ponds.

They demanded that water should be released in the Khachhar Distributary, action should be taken against irrigation officials who were selling water of their share, tail-end growers should be compensated for damages to their crops, an inquiry should be conducted by the National Accountability Bureau into assets of retired and in-service irrigation officials and the in charge engineer, SDO and the sub-engineer, Naseer Division, should be suspended. They also burnt an effigy of the executive engineer, Nasir Division, and broke empty pitchers.