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Farmers
oppose canal project before ministers
MIRPURKHAS- Growers observed protest against the construction
of Thal canal in an open kutchery held by Sindh ministers for
irrigation, power and agriculture in village Mohammad Hashim
Bhurgari on Saturday.
During the speech of the irrigation and power minister Syed
Ali Mir Shah, the growers carried placards and banners
inscribed with slogans against the Thal canal project and
raised slogans against the government, demanding cancellation
of the project. They also complained about the involvement of
the irrigation officials of the area in water theft.
Responding to the complaints, Mr Shah said that corrupt and
inefficient officers of the irrigation department will be
sacked by taking legal action against them.
He said that due to the acute shortage of water in Sindh for
two years, they have been adversely affected. However, he
said, water supply situation had now improved and the
distributaries will be supplied water for two weeks in each
month adding that more water was being supplied to the Nara
Canal by decreasing the water supply to the Rohri Canal for
providing water to tail-enders.
Sindh Agriculture Minister Hassan Ali Chanhio said that Gen
Pervez Musharraf had directed to ensure supply of water to the
tail-end growers of Sindh.
Sindh irrigation secretary Mir Mohammad Parhiar assured the
growers that legal action would be taken in 48 hours against
the negligent officers. He said that executive engineers and
SDOs will be held responsible if water was not supplied to the
tail-end growers.
During the open kutchery, Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Mir
Haji Hayat Talpur and others demanded to extend the Jamrao
Canal up to Dhadri.
Speaking at another open kutchery in Mirpurkhas, Ali Mir Shah
said that a team of experts had been appointed to ensure
appropriate utilization of Rs10 billion allocated by Gen
Pervez Musharraf for improving the irrigation system and
supply of water to the tail-end growers of Sindh. He said that
the shortage of water was due to natural causes but due to
wrong distribution of the available water, the tail-enders
were affected mostly.
Mr Chanhio said that banks of the distributaries and
watercourses will be made pucca and illegal lift machines
installed on the canals will be removed.
Former MNA Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Mirpurkhas Taluka
Nazim Syed Inayat Ali Shah and the growers demanded to
complete the Makhi Farash canal project, activate the SIDA,
stop water theft, suspend recovery of water tax (Abiana ),
other agricultural taxes and ADBP loans from the growers and
eliminate corruption and inefficiency among the irrigation
officials.
courtesy Daily Dawn, 8
April, 2002
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Pakissan.com;
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