Farmers protest ‘violation of water supply timetable’

‘Irrigation officials take bribes to supply water during closure hours’.


Our Correspondent June 17, 2012

RAHIM YAR KHAN:


Dozens of farmers who get water from 6R and 7R outlets to irrigate their fields in Liaqatpur on Friday protested against Irrigation Department officials, accusing them of violating water supply schedule to favour farms along 1L outlet.


The protesters accused the sub engineer in the region of closing the two outlets in the time slot allotted to them on Thursday night. They said water was diverted to 1L outlet during the time reserved for 6R and 7R.

The farmers said violation of water schedule had become a routine. “Irrigation Department officials bypass the schedule to favour farmers who bribe them,” said Wali Muhammad Ghunian.

Ghulam Din said 150 cusecs water is being supplied to the three outlets in Cholistan region. He said each outlet gets water for eight hours a day. “None of the 6R and 7R outlets got any water during their eight-hour slots on Thursday. Instead, water was supplied to IL for an entire day,” he said.

Sub Engineer Abdul Razzaq rejected the suggestion that he had favoured any farmer for a bribe. He said the sub-divisional officer was in charge of opening and closing of outlets. SDO Shafiq Khan denied that the schedule had been violated on Thursday. However, he said, there was a breach of the left bank that led to some water flowing into the IL outlet during the closure hours.

Executive engineer seeks action against water theft

On Friday, Rahim Yar Khan Executive Engineer (EXEN) Jam Mukhtar Ahmed Danish directed officials to take action against canal water theft in the district. He said thousands of water theft cases had been registered and recovery of water charges was underway.

He was addressing the media at his office. He said water was being supplied to the farms in shifts because there was a shortage of water in the rivers. He said water supply to Rahim Yar Khan had fallen from 12,500 cusecs to 7,500 cusecs due to the shortage. He said Irrigation Secretary had recently visited the region and taken notice of the problems.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2012.

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