JHANG, Nov 7: Farmers cultivating lands at the tail-ends of canals and distributaries have demanded that the higher authorities ensure supply of canal water to their fields by cracking down on the landlords involved in water theft.

A delegation of the farmers on Friday called on the district coordination officer to convey their apprehensions about the prospects of wheat crop in their areas. The wheat sowing had been officially inaugurated by the DCO in the district on Thursday.

Speaking to journalists later, the delegation head stressed the need for the availability of canal water which helps improve per-acre yield of crop.

Jhang DCO Asad Islam Mahni told Dawn that he had already held a meeting with the irrigation, revenue and police department officials to evolve a strategy to control water theft in the district. Saying that most of the water thieves were ‘influential landlords’, he warned that no wrongdoer would be spared irrespective of his status or influence.

The DCO said committees comprising police, revenue and irrigation officials, assisted by notables with unblemished record, would be established at the tehsil and police station levels to monitor the campaign against water thieves.Additional SP Ahmad Jamal told this correspondent that 321 cases of water theft were registered against water thieves in the last two months.