BADIN: A large number of farmers staged a demonstration on Matli-Talhar road in Rajo Khanani town near here on Saturday in protest against nagging water crisis and diversion of water to flood canals by irrigation and Sida officials to irrigate lands of influential landlords.

The protesters’ leaders Mir Noor Hassan Talpur, Azizullah Dero, Khuda Dino Shah and others said that severe water shortage had broken the back of farming community for which officials concerned of irrigation and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority were responsible.

They deplored that entire Badin district was facing drought-like conditions similar to Thar but rulers were not ready to provide them their due share in water. The construction of new channels and watercourses to be fed by Akram Wah and Phuleli Canal would further aggravate the situation in tail-end areas of the district, they said.

They demanded the entire district be declared drought-hit and recovery of all agricultural taxes be suspended till ample water was provided to farmers for the cultivation of seasonal crops.

They made it clear that they had no political agenda and they were forced to take to the streets to protest against the worst water crisis and the corrupt, callous and indifferent functionaries concerned.

They vowed to continue their protest till they were provided their due share in irrigation water and announced holding a large demonstration in Badin on March 4 to protest against those who were depriving them of water.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2019