RAHIM YAR KHAN: Dozens of farmers of various villages along Abbasia canal and Cholistan in tehsil Liaqatpur held a sit-in outside the Liaqatpur Press Club on Thursday against waterlogging in their agriculture lands.

The farmers, including Irshaad Amin Gujjar, Ismail Tanwari and Mahar Saifullah, said former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had approved 3R drain in his tenure to control the waterlogging in the villages along Abbasia Canal and allocated funds for the project. However, despite a passage of more than 13 years, 3R drain had not been completed even after investment of Rs750m. They alleged that the project had not been completed due to dishonesty of the corrupt officials of the irrigation department.

The farmers said the corruption of Rs350m was proved in this project but no action was taken against the responsible. They further said the irrigation officials had got affidavits from some blue-eyed farmers and showed the project as completed. However, due to this incomplete project, waterlogging was increasing over thousands of acres of more than 100 villages.

They said the canal water had damaged schools, houses and graveyards in the villages along the Abbasia Canal but the government was doing nothing to save them.

Farmers Ehsan Korai and Asghar Bagga alleged that an irrigation sub-divisional officer was registering false cases against the farmers who were raising their voice and 84 cases had, so far, been registered against the farmers.

When contacted for his version, the SDO concerned said he was busy in a meeting and would contact later while the irrigation senior engineer did not reply the calls made by this correspondent.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2020