HYDERABAD, June 30: Justice Arif Hussain Khilji of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Saturday suspended operation of an order, passed by the Area Water Board left bank circle of the Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority, Abdul Ghafoor Nizamani, allowing illegal water supply to khatedars from the sanctioned water course of nine other petitioner growers.
The court directed the managing director, SIDA, director, Area Water Board left bank circle, its chairman, the executive engineer, irrigation, Akram Wah Badin, the sub-divisional officer, Irrigation, Gaja sub-division, Tando Mohammad Khan, not to interfere with the sanctioned irrigation water supply to lands and crops of the petitioners till the next date of hearing.
Prof Ahmed Mohammad Qazi, his wife, Jan Begum, and others filed the petition jointly through Advocate Jhamatmal Jethanand against 22 respondents.
The petitioners said that upon their representation the Sindh government transferred their area (1,556 acres) for getting water from the Kotri barrage command instead of the Sukkur barrage command in Taluka and Hyderabad district through Akram Wah at RD-80 as petitioners, and other Khatedars were not getting an adequate water supply.
They said that the water course known as Malah Shakh was constructed at a huge cost in 1977-78, and added that subsequently the old channels of the Sukkur barrage command area had been closed.
The petitioners counsel argued that the petitioners are continuously raising crops through the only source of water. They said the lands of respondents 7 to 22, who are influential landlords, were not settled on the watercourse of the petitioners of Malah Shakh.
He said that the chairman, Area Water Board, passed an order dated April 28 allowing illegal supply of water to the respondents from the petitioners’ water course.
He added that on the petitioners’ complaint, the darogah lodged an FIR at the Husri police station against the respondents under section 61 and 62 of the Irrigation Act and 430 of the PPC.
He said for protecting the respondents, the chairman, Area Water Board, passed an illegal and mala fide order.