RAHIM YAR KHAN, Aug 17: Farmers in the command area of Tarinda distributary on Tuesday thwarted an official effort to close the water channel which is fed from the Abbasia Link Canal (ALC).

Reports reaching here said that scores of farmers from Tarinda and Kot Samaba areas clashed with a team of irrigation officials and police and did not allow it to suspend water supply.

The team was headed by the Rahim Yar Khan superintending engineer who told enraged farmers that he had orders from Lahore to close the Tarinda distributary. Farmers were of the view that water suspension at this stage would ruin cotton crop.

The clash highlights simmering tension among farmers of Pacca area over unending water shortage. The ALC which originates from Punjnad is not supplied water according to the needs of Pacca area.