MIRPURKHAS, May 29: Two groups of farmers have accused irrigation officials of ‘selling water’ and thus creating an artificial shortage at tails of two canals.

A group of farmers staged a demonstration outside the press club here on Tuesday to protest against water shortage at tail-end of Daro Bazaar Shakh.

The protesters, led by Mohammad Juman Mari and carrying banners and placards, blocked the Mirpurkhas Hyderabad road for some time which led to suspension of vehicular traffic. They were raising slogans against the officials of Sindhri sub-division of the irrigation department and demanding immediate supply of water to the tail of the canal.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mari, Zulfikar Hingorno and others alleged that the officials were supplying more than their water share to lands at upper stretch of the canal after getting bribe from the landlords, as a result the tail-enders were deprived of their share. They lamented that their villages were also facing an acute shortage of drinking water.

Meanwhile, tail-end farmers of Puran feeder fed by Jamrao Canal have alleged that irrigation officers are supplying their water share to landlords after receiving bribe from them.—BoC