LARKANA: On the call of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) and Joint Action Committee (JAC), a large number of growers, farmers of Kambar-Shahdadkot district and members of civil society took out a rally here on Thursday against failure of the government for not draining out stagnant flood water from Kambar-Shahdadkot district.
The protesters marched through various roads and reached outside Commissioner’s office where they staged a sit-in and held a demonstration against failure of the government for not draining out stagnant flood water from Kambar-Shahdadkot district, releasing of flood water of Balochistan, neighbouring districts of Jacobabad, Shikarpur and Kashmore into Kambar-Shahdadkot district instead of through various canals, branches and different watercourses and non-release of announced funds for wheat seed to the peasants.
They were holding placards and banners in their hands shouting slogans in favour of their just demands. SAB Presidents of Kambar-Shahdadkot and Larkana districts Abdul Khalique Khoso and Irfan Jatoi respectively, Chamber of Agriculture chief Siraj Rashdi, Khalid Omer Khoso, Habib Jarwar, Zulfiqar Jamali, Wahab Pindrani and others said that due to misfortune and incompetence of the Sindh government, Qamber Shahdadkot district has been very badly affected by floods three times at the same time. They said at the very outset the district faced water wrath due to rainwater, secondly due to destroyed irrigation system and thirdly due to release of water of Balochistan and other districts to Qambar-Shahdadkot district due to which many areas are still submerged into water despite passage of four long months but no notice has so far been taken either by the provincial rulers or divisional administration with the result we are facing great destruction and injustice.
They said that the entire irrigation system has been destroyed by sending flood water from the outer districts to us. They said that cuts to Khirthar Canal, Saifullah Magsi Branch and other branches are still in progress which is astonishing and very unfortunate. They alleged that there have been more deaths due to flood and deadly diseases in district Qambar-Shahdadkot than even in the Second World War. They said that many people have died in various accidents due to road collapse and cuts.
They demanded that the stagnant water in our district should be drained immediately, the flow of water from other districts should be stopped and cuts must be closed. The water-logged areas should be provided seed money for planting wheat crops and permits should be issued to non-governmental organizations and institutions without any hindrance to start relief work, or else, they warned, their protest will be continued.
Commissioner, Ghanwar Ali Laghari held a meeting with the agitating growers in his office after the protest and accepted their demands. He directed Chief Engineer Guddu Barrage to close down cuts in Khirthar Canal, Saifullah Magsi Canal and others, releasing water into Dadu and Warah Canals for wheat sowing. He said water pumping machines are being deployed for draining stagnant water to enable the peasants to sow crops.