THATTA: A large population in coastal belt of Sujawal district has been facing acute scarcity of water for past two years thanks to gross negligence of irrigation department officials and the contractor, who has delayed work on the lining of Sherkhana water channel that supplies water to the area.

As many as 20 dehs of Jati taluka confront drought-like conditions as water supply from the channel remains suspended.

Local said that work on concrete lining of the channel that supplied water to more than 100 villages in the coastal area had been in a quandary because of callous attitude of the contractor and flawed work by labourers engaged in the World Bank-funded mega project.

The situation had compelled hundreds of villagers to leave their homes and hearths and migrate to urban areas in search of better livelihood and living conditions as persistent shortage of irrigation water had turned agricultural land barren, they said.

They complained to this correspondent that they were not able to cultivate seasonal crops like paddy and vegetables due to nagging water shortage.

Wali Mohammad Temro said that they were not getting required quantity of water to irrigate their farmland for past couple of years.

Pir Bux Dandal, a breeder who owned many cattle heads, said that he lost a few animals due to drought-like conditions in the area and had to move to fertile areas in search of greener pastures and abundant water.

Haji Zahid Ishaque Sommro, social activist and researcher, disclosed that the coastal region had been facing scarcity of water for more than a decade but the problem had aggravated over the past two years due to delay in work on the lining of Sherkhana channel.

They said that the situation had badly hit local economy and inflicted serious damage to agriculture sector of the area.

They urged elected representatives to ensure completion of work on the lining and maintenance of Sherkhana channel at the earliest so that coastal population could start receiving the required quantity of water to meet their needs.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2024