SANGHAR, Sept 27: A breach which occurred in Rohri Canal near Oderolal on Tuesday has not been plugged yet. Hundreds of villagers and fishermen are struggling to stop the flow of gushing water with the help of gunny bags.Crops over thousands of acres have been inundated and the affected people have been left at the mercy of nature. The villagers complained that the elected representatives had come to the site of the breach only for photo sessions.

The farmers alleged that the irrigation officials were responsible for the breach. A farmer, Moula Bux, alleged that on the day of the breach, SDO Ghulam Rasool Gahoti had closed five minor canals, Tando and Jam branches and Sui Kundar, Maldabi and Kumb Daro minors, on the pretext of water rotation programme. As a result, water level in Rohri Canal rose which resulted in the breach. He alleged that the irrigation authorities used the rotation programme as a tool to extort money from the farmers and to raise the rate of bribe. Besides, the farmers alleged that faulty earthwork had also contributed to the breach.