May 15, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 9, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, May 14: Hundreds of farmers whose land is irrigated by the Vesro branch (canal) staged a demonstration and blocked the Sindhri road near Old Mirpur here on Wednesday to protest against acute water shortage in their area.

Protesters carried banners and placards and raised slogans against the irrigation officials and blocked Sindhri-Mirpurkhas road and burnt tyres.

They said that Vesro branch (canal), a branch of Jamrao canal, had dried up as water was not released in it since past three months, hence they could not sow cotton and chilli

crops while sowed sugarcane crop was damaged and drinking water was not available in the area.

They further said that they had complained to authorities concerned about the acute shortage of water but to no avail.

They termed the shortage of water artificial as irrigation officials were selling water to big landlords.

The farmers demanded of the Sindh chief minister and irrigation minister to take notice of this matter and ensure proper water supply in Vesro water waterway.

Another group of farmers told reporters that their land was at the tail-end of the Bhurgari minor and irrigation officials of Mithrao canal were neglecting their area and farmers organisation of Bhurgari minor were also paying no attention for its rehabilitation.

Hundreds of acres of agriculture land irrigated by Bhurgari minor canal had been rendered barren following the acute shortage of water and rotation programme during the last few months, they said.

The growers said that the cannal had been silted up and irrigation water could not flow easily towards its tail-end.