HYDERABAD: Tando Allahyar police have lodged an FIR against a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) local leader on the charges of water theft.

The FIR was registered against Tando Allahyar chapter president advocate Ali Palh and Dr Shakeel Palh under sections 430 PPC, 61 and 62 of Irrigation Act on a complaint lodged by Asghar Mirjat, sub-divisional officer (SDO) irrigation.

The case was lodged for drawing more water than the sanctioned quantum through watercourse 3AR which emanates from Nagna distributary of Naseer canal.

Palh had led a protest of growers against artificial water shortage and interprovincial water distribution in Tando Allahyar under the aegis of the Sindh Agriculture Research Council (SARC) at Keerio Shakh on May 28.

He said the issues of artificial water shortage and corruption in the irrigation department were raised during the protest. The growers had gathered at Bulghai minor of Naseer canal which was getting discharge more than the approved one.

He claimed that the channel provided water to Faryal Talpur’s lands and it was exempted from rotation.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2021