BADIN, June 8: The tail-end growers of Mirwah-Talhar have alleged that the assistant executive engineer and other staff of the sub-division have created an artificial shortage of water and accused them of selling their share of water to influential landlords. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, they said that irrigation officials had to release water to them in May for the paddy crop. They complained that no water was provided to them. They said that in June also no water was being provided to them.

They said that standing crops in the tail of Mirwah would be destroyed and growers would sustain heavy losses

They alleged that they had been approaching the DCO and other higher authorities but their grievances were not being redressed.

They maintained that on the complaints of the growers, the executive engineer visited the canal on Tuesday and saw for himself that no water was available in it. The growers lamented that he did not assure restoration of water in the near future.

They said that influential people, at the head of the canal, were tempering with the modules and stealing water in connivance with the irrigation staff causing shortage of water in the downstream after 28-mile.

They warned that if water was not provided to them within two days, they would launch a protest drive against the irrigation officials.