May 27, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

MIRPURKHAS, May 26: Dozens of tail-end growers of Puran Distributary (canal) demonstrated outside the office of Director Nara Canal Area Water Board here on Monday against acute water shortage in canal.

Protesters carried banners, raised slogans against irrigation officials and forcibly made their entry into the office in his absence.

Later, talking to reporters they complained of being deprived of irrigation water for last four months which had adversely affected their crops, along with disappearance of drinking water, as well.

They said that due to the non-availability of water they could not sow cotton and chilli crops and accused irrigation officials of selling water to big landlords after allegedly taking gratification.

They said despite having 14,000 cusec discharge in Nara head, artificial shortage had been created by officials to force tail-enders pay bribe for their share of water.

They appealed to the Sindh Chief Minister to suspend irrigation staff of sub division Kot Ghulam Mohammad and deploy Rangers at irrigation channels to stop water theft.

The PPP MPA Mir Mehboob Ali Talpur also reached the place of demonstration and listened to farmers’ grievances. Talpur told reporters that he would approach Director Nara Canal and pursue the matter to ensure supply of water to tail-end farmers. Protesters then dispersed peacefully.