BADIN, Jan 19: At least 200 villages along the coastal belt of the district and Khorwah union councils face an acute shortage of drinking water due to scarce irrigation water in the perennial and non-perennial waterways, the main source of water for Badin and its adjoining areas.

The canals had been closed due to less supply of water from main barrages and the growers fear they may not be able to sow Rabi crops if they do not get enough water.

Mehdi Hassan of Khorwah deplored that water had become a rare commodity in several villages of Khorwah union council. A drum of water was being sold for Rs30 to Rs40 and that too stinking and unfit for human consumption, he said.

Women in Bijari Sharif, Mulla Hassan, Khanani Jat and several others villagers had to walk on foot with clay pots on their heads for three to four kilometres to fetch water, he said.

Many ponds in the main villages and wells in Kario Bhindari, Golo Mandhro and several others villages in the coastal area had either dried up or turned so brackish that even cattle could not drink the salty water, the villagers complained.

They criticised the irrigation department for not taking alternate steps for providing them water and demanded that the government should take extraordinary measures to supply them water.