Irrigation woes: Farmers protest water suspension

Demand Irrigation Dept to clear power bills for irrigation.

MIANWALI: A protest demonstration was organised by several farmers’ organisations in Mianwali in front of the office of the district coordination officer against suspension of water supply to their fields owing to Irrigation Department’s failure to clear electricity bills of water lifting infrastructure.

They demanded that the Irrigation Department clear the electricity bills by February 7. They said a protest demonstration would be held in front of the DCO’s office on February 8 if the department failed to clear the bills.

The protest was led by PPP Mianwali President Shaukat Pervaiz Khan; Kissan Board District President Abdul Jabbar Khan; and Kissan Ittehad District President Maulvi Azmat Ullah. The protesters staged a sit-in first in Alamkhelanwala and then walked to the offices of Irrigation XEN Asghar Mahrani and Mianwali DCO Muhammad Mahmood.

The protesters chanted slogans against the Irrigation Department for its failure to clear electricity bills, that had led to suspension of irrigation through lift facilities in Mooch, Teri Khel, Samandwala, Machiwala and Gulmery. They said water supplied through these schemes was the only source to irrigate their fields. “We don’t get any water from Thal Canal. It is used to irrigate fields in Bhakkar, Layyah and Khushab districts,” they said.

The protesters dispersed after Sargodha chief engineer talk to them over telephone and assured them that the issue would be resolved by the deadline. An Irrigation Department spokesman said bills could not be cleared until the provincial government released funds for the purpose.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2012.