Hyderabad address: Memon vows to address growers’ complaints

Stern action will be taken against officials responsible for artificial shortage.

HYDERABAD: Taking note of growers’ complaints about shortage of irrigation water, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon threatened stern action on Sunday against officers who mismanaged the supply of water.

Memon was chairing his first meeting in the city after being elected from a Hyderabad constituency.



“The people of Sindh have suffered a lot due to apathy of government officers dealing with the general public. This has to stop now.”

At the meeting, attendees complained regarding problems of irrigation and drinking water, phantom schools and absent teachers, inadequate health facilities, broken roads, drug peddling and sale of banned items such as gutka in collusion with the police.

Dozens of growers complained against the highhandedness of irrigation officers. Shaukat Nizamani, a resident of Tando Qaiser, alleged that the irrigation staff was demanding excessive bribes from growers while taking advantage of the water scarcity in the River Indus.

A grower from Masoo Bhurgari village, Shahid Junejo, informed that influential landlords were stealing water in connivance with irrigation staff.

Taking notice of these complaints, Memon called the provincial secretary for irrigation, Babur Effendi, and has asked him to take action against officers who are responsible a.

“Three big canals are flowing through the city. There should be no excuse in favour of not supplying water to the tail-end growers,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2013.