SHEIKHUPURA, July 30: Influential landlords continue stealing water from Upper Chenab canal sub-division jurisdiction despite strict instructions to check the theft by the chief minister and irrigation secretary.

About a dozen small land owners and tenants belonging to different villages on the Gujranwala Road told newsmen on Wednesday that they made cuts or installed pipes to steal canal water.

They alleged that water was being stolen in connivance with SDO Arif Chaudhry and overseer Zahid Shah. They said irrigation department officials charged Rs2,000 per acre for paddy while Rs500 per acre for wheat, vegetables, fodder and other crops.

They claimed that cases were registered against unidentified people if water theft came to the high-ups knowledge.

They said they could not get proper yield due to non-availability of water.

They demanded an impartial inquiry into the water theft and strict punishment for the irrigation staff and the thieves.

The delegation was headed by councillor Ashiq and included lumberdar Sarwar Khan of Bath village, Mubarik Ali, Hidayat etc.