SUKKUR, May 17: A shortage of 84 per cent water at the Guddu Barrage, 34 per cent at the Sukkur Barrage and 79 per cent at Kotri Barrage has left the canals almost dry.

However, irrigation officials in Sukkur on Wednesday claimed that the water situation had improved at the three barrages of Sindh and now the shortage at Guddu was not 84 per cent. It has declined to 70 per cent.

They also claimed that the condition would improve when 102,000 cusecs water released from Chesma would reach Guddu on May 20.

The officials, on Wednesday water release upstream at Guddu Barrage was 60,800 cusecs and downstream 58,600 cusecs while at Sukkur upstream was recorded 48,000 cusecs and downstream remained 17,000 cusecs, and at Kotri upstream was 4,000 cusecs, while no water is being released downstream.

The officials also said that at present, water shortage at Sukkur Barrage was 20 per cent, while at Guddu and Kotri barrages it was recorded 70 per cent.

They said that on Wednesday, another off-taking canal of Guddu Barrage, Ghotki feeder, was opened and 500 cusecs water was released in it.

However, growers belonging to Nara, Khairpur, Jacobabad and other areas, especially the tail-enders, including Mohammad Bux, Makhan, Ghulam Rasool and others, alleged that Punjab, in constant violation of the 1991 Water Accord, was drawing water share of Sindh illegally. Therefore, half quantity of the water released from Chesma for Sindh reaches at Guddu.