QUETTA: Cases were registered against six influential growers for stealing water from Pat Feeder canal in Naseerabad district of Balochistan on Saturday.

Secretary Irrigation Balochistan Naseebullah Bazai told Dawn.com that six growers were stealing water from Pat Feeder canal of Naseerabad district for a long time.

He said the irrigation department has requested the district administration to arrest the influential growers involved in stealing of water. “We have officially lodged FIRs against them,” Bazai said.

He said irrigation department has removed 200 illegal pumping machines installed by the influential growers near Pat Feeder and Kirthar Canal.

Bazai said poor growers and farmers were the worst sufferers of water scarcity since influential growers were stealing water in the area.

Regarding looming threats of flash-floods in different districts of Balochistan, the secretary irrigation said that all concerned executive engineers were placed on high alert and urged to evolve an effective strategy to deal with floods.

Bazai, however, informed that he has suspended executive engineers of Kohlu and Ziarat for their absence from duties. “We cannot tolerate absence of officials from their duties in such critical situations,” he said.

The secretary irrigation said he was in close coordination with other departments to evolve a combined strategy to deal with future floods and torrential rains in different districts of Balochistan.