Daily Times

MITHI: PPP led Sindh government has stopped the water in the only canal of the desert district of Tharparkar to take revenge from the opponent, Daily Times learnt on Saturday.

Three union councils of Tharparkar District including Bhittaro, Kaloi and Mohrano are on the border between the desert and barrage area and to provide them drinking water and irrigation water. In the past a canal, Runn Minor was constructed, which was supplied water fromRiver Indus through Jamraoo Canal.

According to local residents of these union councils, PPP after coming into power eight years ago, directed to close the canal and now, not only the agriculture, but also the drinking water shortage has become so serious that many people have migrated from the area in the recent past.

During the visit of these areas, devastated by the water crises for past many years, people talking to Daily Times said that water in the canal had not been provided for the past eight years due to which over 50,000 acres of the fertile land had turned barren forcing the landowners and farmers to migrate to other areas in search of their livelihood.

They alleged that the PPP government was punishing the opponents, but it has also caused difficulties for poor people of the area.

The local residents said that the area between Naukot Town to the village of Dodo Jat in Kaloi Taluka, which comprises of around 50 sq km completely dried due to the closure of the water in the only canal of the district.

Arbab Lutifullah, a leader of Arbab Group, talking to Daily Times said that the PPP is taking revenge from the opponents. “PPP government is spending millions of rupees on the RO plants to provide water in Thar, while on other hand, PPP has closed the canal, due to which thousands of people are suffering,” he said, adding that Syed Murad Ali after assuming charge of Chief Minister, promised that he will ensure the opening of the canal, but that has not been fulfilled so far.

Some of the local farmers like Wali Nohrio has thought to take water from the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), which takes agricultural waste from several districts and carry it to the sea, but that brought adverse impacts. “All of our fertile lands have turned barren,” said Nohrio.

Nohrio shared that the practice of getting water from LBOD for the cultivation of the crops had brought about a massive disaster in 2011 when LBOD had developed breaches from those tampered points. Hafeez Sindh told irrigation officials were reluctant to release the water down in the minor from the regulator at Naukot Town. He lamented that their area, which was once famous for the orchards and farmlands had turned into the ruins due to the terrible artificial water crises of the recent years.

Ahmed Dal, Chaudhry Suhail Ahmed, Raffique Ahmed Nohrio other growers appealed to the Sindh government to ensure the opening of the canal so that people may at least get drinking water and also the water for their agricultural lands.