HYDERABAD, March 8: A large number of farmers of Tando Mohammad Khan staged a sit-in on Hyderabad-Shaikh Bhirkio road on Monday against water shortage in Khokhar Shakh.

The sit-in continued for several hours as a result traffic remained suspended. Speaking on the occasion, Amir Bukhsh Pitafi said that they had been facing a water shortage for the last 10 years.

He accused the irrigation officials of selling their share of water to influential landlords and demanded action against the officials and the landlords.

Imtiaz Shah said that thousands of acres of fertile land had been rendered barren due to non-availability of water in Khokhar Shakh. The farmers warned that if water was not released into the canal by March 14, they would launch a hunger strike unto death outside the Hyderabad press club from March 15.

They also threatened to dismantle Khesana Mori regulator and divert the direction of water on March 21.

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE: A three-day anti-polio campaign would be launched in the district from March 9 to 11, announced the health EDO on Sunday.