KARAK: The farmers and local people here have demanded repair of the spillway and regulating valve of Changhoz dam, which they say were damaged again due to use of low quality material.

The reservoir has dried up because of the damaged spillway and regulating valve, leaving the farmers of Latamber, Kamali Banda, Changhoz and dozens of other adjacent localities without irrigation water, local people said on Friday.

The farmers and elders, including Nudratullah and Hafiz Ajmal, expressed deep concern over the wastage of water from the dam and said that a few months ago heavy rain had washed away the spillway, but so far the quarters concerned failed to repair it.

The elders said that the regulating valve repaired recently by a contractor was not working and the entire dam water was being wasted. They claimed that millions of rupees fish had died in the past when the dam dried up due to the same reasons.

They said that they were now unable to irrigate the standing wheat crop as there was no water available for the current season.

They demanded that the spillway should be repaired and the regulating valve replaced to save precious water of the dam.

They said that smooth supply of irrigation water should be ensured in the area. They said that if the quarters concerned did not take steps for resolving the issue they would hold a protest demonstration against them.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2016