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LARKANA, June 9: A large number of paddy growers cultivating land on the Rice canal and Warah canal took out a procession in Qambar on Thursday in protest against shortage of water. Farmers from different villages of the district, carrying dried up seedlings of paddy and placards, marched on the main roads of the city and staged a sit-in at the Martyrs’ Square.
Speaking on the occasion, Mujeeb Bhutto, Niaz Lakho and Punhal Soomro said there was no water in irrigation channels Noor Wah, Panhwaro Shakh, Khan Wah, Shaikh Wah, Hasilo Shakh and Fatoohal Shakh.
They said the growers who had prepared nurseries of paddy could not transplant seedlings in time due to an acute shortage of water.
They alleged that officials of the irrigation department were demanding bribe for releasing water into watercourses.
They feared if water was further delayed it would ruin thousands of acres of land because a majority of the population in the area depended on rice growing.
APSTCI: The All-Pakistan Small Traders and Cottage Industry has said that poor and small traders have been ignored in budget.
In a press statement on Thursday, the president of the organization, Mr Mashooque Jatoi said neither any kind of relief was given to small traders nor factual and actual figures were reflected in the document.
Without the announcement of the National Finance commission award budget was, what he called, incomplete and apprehended that mini-budget would soon come.
He said what a tragedy of time was that a huge money was allocated for purchasing Mercedes cars while a meagre amount was earmarked for education.
