SUKKUR, June 12: Water shortage at the Sukkur Barrage was recorded at 42 per cent on Saturday, irrigation sources told this correspondent. The sources said that inflow of water in Guddu and Sukkur barrages was very low.

They said that according to the 1991 water accord, share of the Sukkur Barrage from June 10 to 19 was 58,000 cusecs but presently the barrage was being supplied with 31,000 cusecs of water. Balochistan was getting 1,200 cusecs of water against its share of 2,000 cusecs of water.

The sources said that there was 35 per cent water shortage at the Guddu Barrage.

They said that according to the 1991 accord, water share of the barrage was 31,000 cusecs of water but it was receiving 20,500 cusecs of water, out of which Balochistan was being supplied with 6000 cusecs of water.

They said that the share of the Kotri Barrage according to water accord was 32,500 cusecs but it was getting 23,500 cusecs of water.

The irrigation authorities disputed a claim of the Indus River System Authority that there was 10 per cent water shortage in Sindh.

They said that water level at the Tarbela Dam was 1,366 feet. They said the situation would improve when the water level at Tarbela reached 1,550.

DEMO: Agriculturists of the Pano Aqil taluka held a demonstration and staged a sit-in outside the press club here on Saturday to protest against irrigation officials for not supplying water to Patni and Babli waterways for one month.

They said that the shortage of water had rendered fertile lands barren.

Thekrato Nazim Sher Mohammad and Dr Imdad Mangi led the protest.

They accused irrigation authorities of demanding money for releasing water into the waterways.