HYDERABAD: Tail-end growers of Tando Allahyar have accused the irrigation department staff of creating artificial shortage of water at the tail-ends of canals by tempering with modules to supply unjustifiably more water to influential landlords in lieu of huge bribes.

“The practice to deprive poor tail-end growers of their share of water is rampant and the officials concerned commit it with compete impunity despite an order of the Sindh High Court’s passed in July 2010 which said ‘unless tail-end growers received water the upstream users, even if sanctioned ones, shall not be given water,’” they complained.

The court allowed the growers to point out incidents of tempering with modules but when they did nothing happened. “Water is available in the system but the tail-end does not get it because their share is diverted to upstream influential landlords,” they said.

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture general secretary Nabi Bux Sathio said the irrigation officials supplied water to the landowners who paid them huge bribes. “Not only do they get water before their turn but they get more than their actual share. When they ask the officials about the shortage they make lame excuses and blame it on direct outlets allowed by the government,” he said.

Tando Allahyar farmers having land in tail-end reaches of canals run from pillar to post to get water but their complaints fall on deaf ears. Some of the farmers, Mohammad Hussain Loond, Dodo Khan Baloch and others complained to Dawn that they cultivated cotton through tube-wells which drew sub-soil water not as good as freshwater.

“We are not getting water in Kharif despite knocking at all doors. The officials temper with modules of main distributary to supply more water to Thano and Dasoori minor,” alleged Dodo Khan Baloch, chairman local vigilance committee, formed by irrigation department’s field office a few years ago.

Bhoonphar feeds 50 watercourses but they draw water equivalent to that of 200 watercourses. “These watercourses are getting five times more water than what is sanctioned for them,” argued Baloch.

“When modules are tempered more water could be released to a certain area than the watercourses’ designed capacity. Resultantly, downstream water users end up as ultimate sufferers who get no audience with irrigation officials,” he said.

“No one listens to us. All 50 watercourses of Bhoonphar and 22 of Thano minor are getting water but we at the tail-end of Hadeki are thirsting for each drop,” he said.

Irrigation officials, according to him, did not care about the court’s order passed in 2010 in a petition filed by him and others. “They don’t comply with it and more water is provided to upstream users than their share,” he said.

Phutti (cotton), sugarcane and onion are being cultivated in the area besides mango orchards. Cotton plants are drying while it is peak time for phutti’s maturity.

Cotton picking has already started in some parts of lower Sindh.

Mohammad Hussain Loond, another small farmer, agreed to Baloch saying 100 per cent land was being cultivated by influential landowners in the command area of Bhoonphar although 33 or so per cent was to be brought under cultivation legally.

“Irrigation staff keeps modules open or temper with them to provide water to upstream users while we just keep waiting for our turn which never comes,” he said.

The chief engineer of left bank of Sukkur Barrage, Junaid Memon, admitted to water mismanagement in the area and tempering with modules but put the entire blame for water shortage on Loond community.

He said he had asked executive engineer and SDO to ensure water availability in the system.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2014