By: Kamran Khamiso Khowaja
SUJAWAL: The growers of tail-end areas of Taluka Jati district Sujwal staged a protest demonstration in Jati the Taluka headquarters against a nagging shortage of irrigation water owing to which their paddy fields are drying. The growers were joined by leaders of the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party and other social organizations in their protest.
Led by Ashraf Thaheem, Adil Lagari, and Wafa Ghulam Hussain Shah the protesters marched on the main thoroughfares of the town and later staged a sit-in on Madani Chowk. The aggrieved growers lashed out at irrigation officials and chanted slogans against them. They alleged that the officials of the irrigation department had deliberately deprived them of their due share of water just to facilitate the influential landlords of the area.
Allah Bux Samejo a grower said that the pilferage of irrigation water from the waterways of taluka jati was being carried out under the tutelage of the irrigation department but the officials after receiving hefty bribes had kept mum over this extremely serious issue.
Dada Misri said that after sustaining huge financial losses for the past couple of years they had pinned their hopes on the paddy crop this year that was being destroyed due to the negligence of irrigation officials. He warned to set himself ablaze if water was not discharged for irrigating their paddy fields.
Chairman Jati Action Committee Syed Wafa Hussain Shah said that the lingering shortage of water for irrigating land as well as for drinking purposes had increased frustration with the authorities concerned. The officers concerned failed to end the crisis caused by the theft of water from the waterways of Taluka Jati and Shahbunder. He further said that the silence of elected representatives over the issue had caused unrest among the growers.
They threatened to expand the scope of their protest if the artificial shortage of water did not end.
