KHAIRPUR, July 24: The crisis of irrigation water has deepened in the district as the Khairpur West Feeder, Ubal Wah, fed from the Sukkur Barrage, has been closed from July 23, for one week.

This has resulted in the closure of some 100 waterways of Khairpur, Kingri and Gambat talukas, badly affecting banana crops, standing on thousands of acres.

In the second stage, the Khairpur East Feeder, feeding Kot Diji, Mirwah, Faiz Ganj and Sobhodero talukas, would be closed from the next week for one week.

This rotation has been introduced under the orders of the irrigation secretary.

On the other hand, the regulator of the Rohri Canal, one of the biggest canals of Asia, having a capacity of 16,000 cusecs, has also been fixed at 14,000 cusecs, which will affect Sanghar and Nawabshah districts.

The rotation programme will continue till the improvement of water situation at the Sukkur Barrage.

Meanwhile, growers of Sobhodero taluka continued their protest on Tuesday and held two separate demonstrations, blocking the Hingorja Saghiyoon Link Road for two hours.

They also observed a hunger strike.

The protesting growers refused to hold negotiation with local irrigation officials and said they would continue their struggle till the visit of the irrigation secretary.

The growers of Kobri Shakh of Thari Mirwah taluka staged a sit-in on the Setharja-Thari Mirwah Road. They and said the Kobri Shakh was closed wrongly as it did not fall under the rotation.

BAN: District Nazim Nafisa Shah, under section 144 CrPC, has imposed a ban on picnic, swimming and allowing cattle of all kinds in Rohri main canal and its off-taking channels within the jurisdiction of Khairpur district.