DADU: The residence of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday witnessed a first ever protest demonstration by small growers of his constituency against influential Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers and feudal lords. Police tried to dissuade them from assembling there but the growers posed resistance and continued their protest for about six hours.
The protesters deplored that these influential figures had long been taking away the water share of small growers but local irrigation officials and provincial government had never taken any action despite repeated complaints.
Speaking to reporters outside CM’s residence, in Wahur near Bhan Syedabad town, Manzoor Ahmed Jamali, Kamil Panhwar, Raees Akhtar Jamali and Suleman Radhan, said the protesting growers had always voted for the PPP and supported PPP chief ministers and lawmakers. But whenever small growers approached them with complaint of water theft, they were not only turned away but also threatened with consequences, including implication in false cases.
They said the lands of aggrieved growers were fed through Daim branch, Dal minor, Bhan minor, Aktar minor and included tail-end of Dadu canal. They said they travelled to Wahur to participate in the demonstration after losing any hope for supply of adequate water. “We never raised our voice against highhandedness of these influential figures in the past,” they said.
Hours-long demo ends after Sukkur Barrage chief engineer promises normal water within six days
Raising slogans against senior irrigation officials of the area, the protesters accused them of being hands in glove with these unscrupulous elements and thus were equally responsible for the destruction of small growers’ lands. “We have been facing heavy losses ever year due to the theft of our share of water and nobody is there to pay attention to our issue. We take loans from banks for fertilizer, seeds and other agricultural inputs but we are not being supplied water to cultivate our lands and earn some money to repay the loans and make ends meet,” they said.
In reply to a question, the protesters leaders said that the Sindh government was fighting its case with the federal authorities over short supply of water from the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), “but we are facing an artificial shortage here”, they said, arguing that Dadu canal had been receiving adequate flows but a fair distribution of water was not being ensured. “Political figures of the area divert the flows to their respective lands depriving small growers of their share,” the alleged, and demanded immediate action after a survey of the area to check water theft. They noted that all big landowners of Sehwan taluka belonged to the PPP and this “artificial” water shortage was devastating small growers of CM’s own constituency “who are also supporters of the same party”.
They appealed to the CM to save them from total devastation by taking notice of water theft and local irrigation officials’ involvement in the matter. “The CM must realise it’s a question of our survival,” they said.
Protesters-police scuffle
A scuffle took place when the police personnel, permanently deployed outside CM’s residence, tried to stop protesters from pitching a tent to hold a sit-in. Bhan Syedabad SHO Qurban Qambrani along with a strong contingent rushed to the site to avoid a flare-up.
Realising growers’ outrage and possibility of a showdown, the police called out Sukkur Barrage chief engineer Syed Sardar Shah, irrigation superintendent engineer Iqbal Palijo and official in charge of CM’s residence Ghulam Hussain Halepoto for negotiations with the protesters.
The official negotiators agreed to address small growers’ issue and ensure supply of water to their lands within the next six days.
A four-member committee was formed to oversee the process. Protesters’ representative, Manzoor Ahmed Jamali, was inducted in the committee.
The protesters, who had arrived at CM’s residence at about 10am, dispersed peacefully at 4pm.
Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2021