No assured water: Irrigation rest house, office torched
Protest over lack of water for cotton crop turns ugly.
The protesters alleged that in some areas, fields had not been provided water for more than two weeks. PHOTO: FILE
MULTAN:
Protesting farmers stormed the Irrigation office and the rest house in Bahawalnagar on Monday and set them on fire.
Several farmers from Haroon Abad, a sub-district of Bahawalnagar, protested against the lack of water for their crops. They said they were getting water for their fields only when they paid bribes.
The farmers protested for over four hours. They blocked the National Highway.
The protesters alleged that in some areas, fields had not been provided water for more than two weeks. Lack of water for cotton crops would leave it good only for burning, said the protesters.
The demonstration began on the National Highway near Daahraan Waala. The protesters then walked towards the irrigation office in Haroon Abad.
After three hours of protesting in front of the office, they vandalised the department’s regional office and set fire to the canal rest house. They also burnt official records. The irrigation officials, however, escaped unhurt.
The police eventually arrived at the scene and deffused the situation.
FIRs have been registered under Sections 16 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order), 427 and 436 against 10 nominated suspects and 35 unidentified people at the Haroon Abad City police station. Sub divisional officer Tariq Abbas filed the complaint.
SHO Abdus Sattar told The Express Tribune that 10 people had been arrested. He said more would be arrested soon. He said the police were conducting raids as far as Fort Abbas, Bahawalnagar and Minchanabad.
He said the Department would submit a report to the police in the next 48 hours, he said.
Irrigation officials told The Express Tribune that the main canal, 4-R, supplied water to more than 1,000 acres of land. The records burnt by the protesters had details on water distribution in the area. They said that the department supplied water on merit and according to the official schedule.
Ghulam Murtaza, one of the protesters, said that the sowing season for cotton had begun. That was why, he said, they had protested the shortage of water. “We did the right thing. We get no electricity and no water. If the government cannot provide relief, they should arrange to pay us monthly stipends,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2013.
Protesting farmers stormed the Irrigation office and the rest house in Bahawalnagar on Monday and set them on fire.
Several farmers from Haroon Abad, a sub-district of Bahawalnagar, protested against the lack of water for their crops. They said they were getting water for their fields only when they paid bribes.
The farmers protested for over four hours. They blocked the National Highway.
The protesters alleged that in some areas, fields had not been provided water for more than two weeks. Lack of water for cotton crops would leave it good only for burning, said the protesters.
The demonstration began on the National Highway near Daahraan Waala. The protesters then walked towards the irrigation office in Haroon Abad.
After three hours of protesting in front of the office, they vandalised the department’s regional office and set fire to the canal rest house. They also burnt official records. The irrigation officials, however, escaped unhurt.
The police eventually arrived at the scene and deffused the situation.
FIRs have been registered under Sections 16 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order), 427 and 436 against 10 nominated suspects and 35 unidentified people at the Haroon Abad City police station. Sub divisional officer Tariq Abbas filed the complaint.
SHO Abdus Sattar told The Express Tribune that 10 people had been arrested. He said more would be arrested soon. He said the police were conducting raids as far as Fort Abbas, Bahawalnagar and Minchanabad.
He said the Department would submit a report to the police in the next 48 hours, he said.
Irrigation officials told The Express Tribune that the main canal, 4-R, supplied water to more than 1,000 acres of land. The records burnt by the protesters had details on water distribution in the area. They said that the department supplied water on merit and according to the official schedule.
Ghulam Murtaza, one of the protesters, said that the sowing season for cotton had begun. That was why, he said, they had protested the shortage of water. “We did the right thing. We get no electricity and no water. If the government cannot provide relief, they should arrange to pay us monthly stipends,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 25th, 2013.