BADIN, April 10: Growers and Nazims of union councils of Badin Taluka have accused the irrigation officials of unjust distribution and illegal sale of irrigation water causing an acute shortage of water in the district.
Speaking at a joint news conference here on Wednesday, the representatives of various growers associations including Haji Abdul Rehman Mandhro, president, Sahely Abadgars Association (Badin); Gul Mohammad, Sindh Small Growers Association; Haji Vikiyo, president, Paani (Water) Committee, Badin; and Nazims of Badin Taluka said that the district was facing the worst shortage of irrigation water, while sufficient water was available in all the other canals except Badin district.
They said that they were being treated unfairly and claimed that the water crisis was artificial due to which the growers were facing shortage of water in Mirwah Talhar, Old Kazia, Morjhar and other canals since 1999.
They accused the chief engineer, Kotri Barrage, of diverting the water flow towards the lands of prominent local lamndlords.
The growers warned that if their due share of water was not restored, they would observe sit-in on the Badin-Karachi section of the National Highway on April 15.
They demanded the immediate transfer of the chief engineer, Kotri Barrage, and local irrigation officials.
They also demanded that action should be taken against all negligent officials.
They demanded desilting of the Mirwah Canal.
MEETING HELD: Earlier, a meeting of the growers was held at the residence of the Nazim, Union Council Kadi Kazia, Mohammad Bachal Perhiar, which was attended by all the Nazims of 12 union councils.
It was resolved in the meeting that if the growers continued to be deprived of their water share, they would enlarge the scope of their protest.
DEVELOPMENT WORKS: The director general, Monitoring, Planning & Development Department, Mohammad Ali Khaskheli, has directed the executive agency of Badin to complete development works by June 30 and warned that inefficiency would not be tolerated.
He stated this while presiding over a meeting on Wednesday.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work being carried out under various projects and instructed officials concerned for timely completion of 49 abandoned schemes.
He said that the government had allocated Rs18 million under the fourth phase of the Khushhal Pakistan Programme for Badin district. The DCO, Badin, Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, also spoke on the occasion.