BADIN: A large number of farmers and activists of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl took out rallies and staged demonstrations in Golarchi and Tando Bago towns on Wednesday to register protest against a nagging water shortage in most irrigation outlets and canals in the district.

JUI-F leaders Maulana Fateh Mohammad, Jamaluddin Zaur, Mohammad Ishaq Mehri and others who led the protest in Golarchi told journalists that farmers and residents of the towns had been facing the worst water crisis for several months, forcing people to drink highly contaminated water.

They said that the situation in coastal belt of the taluka was the worst since there was no water in the area and people had to walk miles even for brackish and contaminated water. Officials of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority and irrigation department were the least concerned about their problem, they said.

They warned they would widen their protest if water was not released into their outlets within the next few days.

Farmers and peasants also gathered outside Tando Bago press club to register their protest against a persistent water shortage in their respective areas and illegal blockages in Sultani Wah.

Saif Jarwar, Mohammad Kumbhar, Abdul Aleem Kakepoto and other leaders of farmers said that no amount of water was being released into their waterways.

They demanded removal of blockages erected at RD-82 and 75 in Sultani Wah by influential growers in connivance with irrigation officials to steal their share of water.

Mir Noor Ahmed Talpur, Khalil Ahmed Bhurgari, Azizullah Dero and other leaders of Save Badin Action Committee said in a joint statement that the entire district faced the worst water crisis again this year even when there was enough water in the system.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2020