HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has removed Sukkur Barrage (left bank) chief engineer Wali Mohammad Naich and Rohri circle superintending engineer Sardar Shah after an inquiry into alleged artificial shortage of water in the tail-end areas found them responsible for the irrigation department’s failure to cope with the situation.

The findings of the inquiry report were presented to the chief minister by the irrigation secretary.

Sources in the department confirmed that the two officers were removed as they appeared unwilling to help improve the situation leading to a month-long protest by tail-end growers.

The officers did not even comply with directives of the irrigation secretary to help improve the situation despite the fact that Rohri Canal had full withdrawals from the barrage, said an irrigation source. He said that the new CE of the Sukkur Barrage (left bank) Bhai Khan Lakho and SE of the Rohri circle Amjad Dhawach had taken over their respective charge.

Vast agricultural lands in Mirpurkhas and Badin districts are fed by Rohri Canal’s Naseer division. These areas are irrigated by Tando Allahyar, Chang and Khairpur Gamboh irrigation channels. Naseer Canal emanates from Rohri Canal. Badin and Mirpurkhas districts are known for early summer crop sowing. Kharif season officially beings in April but farmers in these areas start cultivating cotton by late February or early March. According to reports, the irrigation secretary during his visit to the tail-end areas on April 26 had directed CE Wali Mohammad Naich to ensure availability of water in the shortage-hit areas as Rohri Canal was drawing adequate flows. In the following days, the secretary kept visiting other areas including upper reaches of the barrages but till April 30, there had been no improvement in the situation.

Sources said that SE Sardar Shah avoided meeting the secretary during his visit and instead proceeded on medical leave. Mr Naich also remained absent on the ground that he had some engagement concerning the Federal Flood Commission.

“The secretary briefed the chief minister about factual position and this led to the removal of the two officers,” said a source.

The secretary had also formed a special team comprising Abdul Rehman Nizamani and Preetam Das to assist the two senior engineers. “Mismanagement was so obvious that in order to cover up negligence and make flows available in shortage-hit areas, exceptional gauges are recorded. For instance, gauge at Rohri Canal’s Kumblima regulator Nawabshah downstream was recorded at as high as 7.1 feet which is usually 5.3 feet. It is a huge anomaly,” said a source.

Interestingly, water availability situation is much better in Nara Canal which supplies water to Mirpurkhas as well after taking off from Sukkur Barrage’s left bank.

For the last one month, Sindh Abadgar Tanzeem (SAT) representatives have also been protesting against unavailability of water in their areas. They staged sit-ins to press the authorities concerned to ensure an improvement in the situation.

SAT leaders Fayyaz Shah and Tariq Arain, who had moved the apex court on water shortage issue in 2013, are leading sit-ins in Badin on a daily basis.

Growers of tail-end reaches of Mirpurkhas and Badin districts are using effluent for saving their cotton crop in absence of irrigation water in lands fed by Sukkur Barrage’s Rohri Canal.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2017