LARKANA: Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) Friday demanded of Sindh and the federal governments to provide irrigation water to Sindh, otherwise, it will stage a massive sit-in before Larkana press club on 6th July.
In this regard, SAB provincial Vice President and District Larkana President Irfan Jatoi, Mohsin Ali Qazi, Ali Bakhsh Baloch, Ajab Ali Totani and others held a press conference at the press club today, where they said that annually water is reaching the canals, watercourses and branches on 5th June but till now no water has arrived and 4600 cusecs in Khirthar Canal, Nara and Rohri Canals 10000 cusecs each, and 2800 cusecs in Dadu Canal and Rice Canal has 4300 cusecs water.
They said that Chief Engineer Right and Left Bank are uncle and maternal uncles who are not taking any action despite open and daring water theft against the thieves. They said that we claim that the PPP has divided Sindh into two parts on the issue of water, the Warah barrage has 300 cusecs of water for which we protested at the Sukkur barrage, but there is no relief till now. They said that we represent 15 to 16 districts, our problem is the problem of the whole country and the economy and water is essential for life and without water the backbone of the country’s economy will be ruined. Pakistan is an agricultural country and 90% of its population is on agriculture and 70% is rural area and all of them rely on agriculture and Sindh’s rice belt is spread from Dadu to Kashmore
They said that at present there is a 45% water shortage in Sindh barrages, rivers, canals and branches. They said 14000-15000 cusecs water shortage has been recorded in the Rice Canal. They said 10 to 12% paddy seedlings have been sown only on tubewells. They said that due to the sheer negligence of the irrigation department officials and their mismanagement, water is deficient. They said that there are 11 gates in Warah Regulator, but the tail end users have still been deprived of water because Regulator gates are closed before the water reaches the end.
They said previsiouly there were one engineer and one Beldar who were managing water distribution but in the latest system water is being stolen without any legal action against the steelers. They said the water issue has not been resolved for the past 14 years, adding at present Khurshid Shah is the federal minister of water who could not solve the water problem. They said 10th July is the last date for sowing hybrid seed.
They said that the Sindh government was keeping the growers, farmers and people of different walks of life busy in politics and all the business people are with the Sindh and federal governments. They said people have been kept unaware of crucial core water issues. They said that previously PPP was taking out tractor marches but they are mum now despite being in the government which shows their sincerity.
They urged the business community and the people to join their sit-in on 6th July for their and their children safety where effigies of the Sindh Government and irrigation department will be burnt.