HYDERABAD, July 27: Growers have urged the government to take action against landlords depriving tail-end growers of their water share and irrigation officials selling water and involved in corruption.

The demand was made at a convention of tail-end growers of Sindh held at the press club here on Wednesday. The convention was organized by the Joint Action Committee for the People’s Rights, Sindh. About 200 tail-end growers from all over the province attended the programme.

The convention further demanded that the irrigation system should be overhauled keeping in view the fact that a lot of changes had occurred in the irrigation sector.

It opposed construction of the Kalabagh dam, Bhasha dam, greater Thal canal and other dams and canals on the River Indus.

In another resolution, the convention demanded that except for already-sanctioned watercourses, no other watercourse should be constructed on the basis of recommendations from landlords and feudal lords.

It said the problem of the controversial Gharang regulator should be resolved between Sindh and Balochistan through negotiations and grievances of Sindh should be redressed in this regard.

The convention said tail-end growers of Sindh would hold a protest demonstration outside the office of the chief engineer, irrigation, Hyderabad, on Aug 4 against corrupt practices of irrigation officials.

It also resolved to hold a black day throughout the province, the date for which would be decided on Aug 4, to protest against injustices against tail-end growers.

It decided to hold an all-parties conference in Karachi after the local body election to highlight problems of tail-end growers before the international media and other organizations.

Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the joint action committee, Dr Haider Malookani, Zain Daudpoto, Ramzan Memon and Wahab Pindrani said depriving tail-end growers of their share of water was violation of human rights. They said the action committee would pursue the matter at all fora.

They criticized the ongoing water rotation programme.

Speaking on the occasion, irrigation expert Nazeer Memon said the main reason for shortage of water was that there was no water in the River Indus because Punjab was allegedly withholding the Indus waters.

He said that within Sindh, irrigation officials were responsible for injudicious distribution of water.

He demanded that modules should be reconstructed according to original specifications and water distribution should be monitored.

Sindh Abadgar Board leader Mehmood Nawaz Shah said the irrigation department had conceded that 77 per cent of tail-end growers were not getting their share of water.

He regretted that a rotation programme had been introduced in waterways. He demanded that a proper round-the-clock monitoring system should be introduced to ensure water supply to all growers.

Mumtaz Rind, Bhooro Mal, Rahima Bajeer, Ilyas Khokhar and Ghulam Hussain Malookani also spoke on the occasion.