HYDERABAD: Several hundred growers belonging to Hyderabad rural taluka held a demonstration outside the Circuit House here on Friday and raised slogans against the irrigation department, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers from Sindh and feudal lords for “stealing water” from their irrigation channel.

They alleged that such people were responsible for theft in Hyderabad branch, which had gone dry six months ago and no water was flowing into it.

They drew the attention of National Accountability Bur­eau Karachi Director Gen­eral Moham­mad Altaf Baw­any, who was hearing public complaints inside the Circuit House at that time, and urged him to look into these people’s involvement in corrupt practices.

They also urged Hyder­abad Commis­sioner Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo to take action against water thieves and ensure flow of water into the branch immediately.

The protesters were led by Raees Wali Mohammad Leg­h­ari, Imam Bukhsh, Fawad Hussain, Manzoor Hussain and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Hyder­abad division president Kha­w­and Bukhsh Jahejo.

Speaking to the media, they said that growers had already suffered a collective loss of around Rs20 billion on account of damage or destruction of 200,000 acres of farmlands and crops.

They said that Hyderabad branch and its sub-branches including Tando Saeed Khan, Rahuki and Husri were lying almost dry while an acute shortage of drinking water had been persisting in the district for months.

They claimed that influential landowners and certain PPP lawmakers in connivance with irrigation officials had installed direct outlets to steal water by diverting flows from the Hyderabad branch to their own lands. They demanded deployment of Rangers to check the theft.

Khawand Bux Jahejo said that he met the NAB DG and commissioner who assured him that water flow into the branch would resume on Saturday (today).

The growers’ leaders also held a press conference to apprise the media of their issues.

Mirpurkhas: Growers participating in a sit-in near toll plaza along Mirpurkhas-Hyderabad Road since Thursday morning called off their protest after successful negotiations with the Mirpurkhas commissioner.

The protest was organised by the Farmer Organisations Council (FOC).

Javed Ahmed Junejo, Prof Yousuf Rajput and other FOC leaders who held negotiations with Commissioner Shafique Ahmed Mahesar told the protesters at around 3am that they had been assured that water theft in the specified areas would be stopped through drastic actions within a week.

They said the commissioner also pledged legal action against the thieves.

Committees comprising the assistant commissioners and DSPs concerned and growers’ representatives have been formed to supervise the actions and unhindered flow of water up to the tail-end areas, according to the FOC negotiators.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2018