SUKKUR, March 7: More than 200 growers whose land lie at the tail-end of Faiz Ganj canal started hunger strike in front of the Sukkur Press Club on Tuesday against unavailability of water and construction of illegal watercourses.

The growers, who belong to Thari Mir Wah, Sobhodero and Faiz Ganj towns, are on hunger strike for indefinite period.

The leaders, Shahzad Ahmed Bhagat, Abdul Fatah Memon said the tail-enders had been demanding water since last five years. No water had been released in 12 branches originating from Faiz canal which had rendered more than 50,000 acres of land barren.

They said the reason behind it was that influential persons had constructed illegal watercourses on the canal in collusion with irrigation officials. They demanded the high authorities order that water be released to the tail-end of branches otherwise government would be responsible for consequences.

—Correspondent