SANGHAR, Nov 19: The Chotiari Distributary remained closed for the fourth consecutive day as water was not released into it on Wednesday

The distributary was closed after a breach developed in it below the regulator.

The breach was plugged by the farmers’ organization but due to a row between FOs and the irrigation officials, water release into the distributary was not yet restored.

Chotiari Distributary Farmers’ Organization chairman Gulsher Rind and vice-chairman Riaz Ahmad Bajwa told this correspondent that the control of regulators was in the hands of the irrigation officials and it was up to them to release water.

They said that due to the delay in releasing water into the canal, the farmers, whose land was irrigated through it, might incur losses.

Five watercourses, including the Ghoro Minor and the Dhoro Janib Minor, originate from the Chotiari Distributary and irrigated about 28,500 acres of land, he said.

Mr Bajwa said that the distributary was opened on Nov 13 after it was closed on Nov 6 under the water rotation programme and again closed after the breach.

The delay in the water release was leading to a delay in wheat sowing which was at its peak in Sindh, the farmers’ leader said.

When this correspondent contacted the executive engineer, Thar division, Mohammad Mithal Unnar, by telephone, he said that he had gone to Mirpurkhas to attend a meeting of the Nara Canal Area Water Board.