MIRPURKHAS, Jan 4: In the wake of acute water shortage in Nara Canal, most of the growers of Mirpurkhas district have failed to sow wheat as they were also deprived of their last turn of water before annual closure of the canals.

The irrigation authorities failed to properly implement water rotation programme while in several waterways water flow has ended, causing damages to the standing crops of sugarcane, onion, chilli, vegetables etc.

Owing to shortfall of water in Nara Canal, the growers who had sown wheat crop were deprived of the last turn of water for their crop before annual closure of canals.

It is estimated that some 2.6 million acres of land under the command area of Nara Canal have been deprived of water.

Talking to Dawn the growers and landlords alleged that it was mostly due to artificial shortage as some irrigation officials were taking advantage of present water situation and were allegedly taking bribe for allowing the landlords to get water through pumping machines.

Adds our Dadu correspondent: A large number of growers of taluka Johi and the activists of several political parties and social organisations staged a demonstration on Friday in front of the office of the SDO Johi to protest against “artificial” shortage of irrigation water in the waterways of the taluka.

Led by the leader of Sindh Abadgar Association, Ghulam Qadir Rind, the protesters were demanding due share of water for the tail-enders.

Talking to newsmen, Mr Rind alleged that the irrigation officials were providing water to influential landlords at the cost of small growers.