DADU, June 24: Sindh Irrigation Secretary Mir Mohammad Parhiar has directed engineers of the irrigation department to constitute vigilance committees to stop water theft and ensure judicious distribution of water.

Speaking at a press conference at the Irrigation Rest House here on Monday, Mr Parhiar said the vigilance committees should be comprised of Nazims, growers and engineers concerned of the division.

He warned that if the vigilance committees found any watercourse tempered with, the department would seal the same under the irrigation act.

The irrigation secretary clarified that Sindh was not taking water of Balochistan’s share.

He said he had visited the Pat Feeder Canal and the Saifullah Magsi Branch where he had found that some 200 watercourses and outlets, originating from these canals, were flowing illegally.

He said that about 1,000 cusecs water share of Sindh was being forcibly taken away by landlords of Balochistan.

Mr Parhiar said some influential persons had taken positions with arms and they were cultivating paddy crops on 50 thousands acres in their areas which, he said, was a proof of water theft.

He said owing to the disposal of saltish water through the Hairuddin Drain of Balochistan, about 18 thousand acres in Shahdadkot area were inundated and rendering a large area uncultivable.

He appealed to the Balochistan government to stop the flow of the saline water immediately otherwise, he said, the whole area would be converted into barren land.

PTCL: Some 5,000 non-digital telephone connections have been converted into digital system in Dadu district while Radhan, Johi, Dadu, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mehar and Phulji exchanges have been changed into digital ones.