SAHIWAL, April 1: Farmers of Chak 1/10-L, Harappa, have accused irrigation officials of demanding bribe for allowing them their due share of water being supplied to their crops through branch canal No 10/L.

They allege the local irrigation staff tampers with small sluice gates (Moghas) meant for controlling outflow from the branch canal to the fields, reducing their share of water in case they refuse to grease their palm.

The officials, they add, are duty-bound to ensure proper water supply through the sluice gates under Section 68 of ‘Canal And Drainage Act 1873’ amended in 1975.

According to irrigation record, Chak 1/10-L has three recommended sluice gates -- 340-L/ 10-L, 8500-L/10-L and 2900-l/10L.

Besides supporting conventional farming, the village has several green houses spreading over one or two acres, where farmers have invested around Rs0.3 to Rs0.4 million on each of them for growing different vegetables. The artificial water shortage is likely to ruin these green houses to the detriment of local farming community and the labour, the village residents say.

“Last year one acre land could be easily irrigated in one-and-a-half hour but now less than half of the same measure of the land was irrigated in the same time. It means outflow has been reduced,” says Muhammad Safeel, owner of a green house.

Farmers allege the irrigation officials reduce the outflow by placing bricks under the sluice gate regulators and then demand bribe from the farmers for allowing proper water for irrigation.

Those who don't bribe the officials get less water, complains Haji Bashir, a farmer.

“Villagers regularly pay their irrigation dues to the department, then why they are subjected to water shortage,” says a resident, Muhammad Amjad.

“They demand bribe when we need water for maize, wheat and potato crops,” says Qasim Shabbir advocate, another resident.

Growers also allege that the officials favour big farmers by letting them steal water through inserting pipes in the canal.

Ahsan Amin advocate says: “The irrigation officials are illegally allowing big landlords to suck water without following proper procedure which is creating water shortage for small cultivators.”

Villagers demand immediate action against the corrupt officials so that the small farmers could be saved from exploitation. — Shafiq Butt