HYDERABAD, June 2: Sindh Abadgar Board president Majeed Nizamani has expressed concern over recurrence of breaches in various canals in Sindh. Talking to Dawn on telephone on Wednesday , he said that the main cause for the breaches was unavailability of water due to which canal embankments become dessicated and vulnerable to breaches.

He said that Sindh had experienced a shortage of 40 to 60 per cent of water during the last two months as a result the sowing of Kharif crops had been considerably delayed and would consequently affect the crop production.

Mr Nizamani said that the irrigation department was equally responsible for these breaches as the canals had not been properly maintained. He said that not only the tail-ender growers but all growers have suffered losses due to frequent breaches.

He said that the inefficiency of the irrigation department had also given a solid excuse to other provinces to raise their fingers against the mismanagement of our water resources. Mr Nizamani appealed to the Sindh government, the irrigation department in particular, to maintain round the clock vigilance on waterways.

WATER CONTAMINATION: The Qasimabad Action Committee has denounced officials of the irrigation and other departments concerned for supplying contaminated water to the residents of the city that resulted in loss of lives.

Speaking at a news conference at the local press club on Monday, committee president Mehboob Abro, Qasimabad taluka naib nazim Rafi Abbasi, union council-1 nazim Ali Nawaz Kutrio and others expressed surprise that none of the ministers had tendered their resignation over the criminal negligence of the relevant departments.

On the contrary, the ministers had threatened to resign if anybody tried to take action against any official, they added. Terming transfers of some junior officers a cruel joke, they said that they would hold a protest demonstration in Qasimabad on June 4.