Water shortage: Badin growers shut down town

Growers claim area's lawmaker Mir Allah Bux Talpur was behind shortage of water.

KARACHI: A complete shutter down strike was observed on Thursday in Dahi Shehar, a small town of Badin district, against the acute water shortage in the area. Several growers marched around the town, shouting slogans against the authorities and the area’s lawmaker, Mir Allah Bux Talpur. They claimed that he was behind the shortage of water. The farmers, including Ashraf Khoso, Qaisar Chandio and others, said that there was no water available after 100RD of Sultan Wah. They said that the dearth of water in the last seven months had destroyed people socially and economically. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah visited Badin on Tuesday after the water crisis worsened and ordered the irrigation officials to ensure water availability within three days. He said the Rangers would be deployed after the deadline. Meanwhile, Dahi’s growers said they will shut down the town for an indefinite period if their demands are not addressed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2014.