Daily Times

BADIN: Sindh Irrigation Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal has said that functionaries of Indus Rivers System Authority (Irsa) are not paying any attention towards the continuous protests by the farmers, PPP workers and the subsequent reminders by the high-ups of Sindh to release the due and required share of water to Sindh.

Mr Syal speaking to the media persons during his visit to irrigation canals and minors in Badin district on Wednesday, alleged that Irsa functionaries were releasing 27 percent less water of their due share, which termed as the injustice of the authority on the direction of the high-ups Imran Khan-led PTI government with the people of Sindh. He said that high-ups of Sindh government and top PPP leadership would continue to raise their voice at all forums against such treatment being meted out with Sindh and its by PTI government and functionaries of Irsa. He warned of the dire consequences if Sindh continued to be deprived of its due share of water despite the great improvement of water in the system. He said that he had arrived in Badin on the direction of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari look after the irrigation water distribution.

Mr Siyal claimed that despite the terrible shortage of the required water at Kotri barrage they were trying to ensure just and judicious regulation and distribution among the farmers and growers of the lower parts of Sindh. Mr Siyal said that the PPP leadership was very much concerned about the concerns and genuine l grievances of the farmers of Badin district, who had been peacefully protesting to get their due share of water. He said that he had issued the strict directions to the officials of Both Sida and irrigation to ensure that all the tail-end farmers. The provincial minister said that the Sindh government was going to overhaul the irrigation system adding he said that Sindh government during the recent annual budget had allocated Rs 80 billion for the remodeling of Akram Wah. and the construction would be undertaken soon with the financial support of World Bank. He said that mega project would bring the revolution in the area and farmers and growers would get enough water.

He said that he also directed the officials to take punitive actions against those landowners, who were involved in water theft through the tampered modules of the waterways without any fear or favour. He issued the orders to dismantle such waterways if the water was stolen through them.

Mr Suhail Anwar hoped that with the improvement in the water flows due to predicted rainfalls they would release the water for the paddy cultivation where the rice cultivation was allowed by the Sindh government. The irrigation minister also warned the farmers not to cultivate rice crops where the ban was imposed by the Sindh government to save water for other crops. Mr Siyal said that those naive and incompetent people could not provide any relief to the people of the country were raising hue and cry over the pro-poor budget presented by Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday. He said that people of the country had become sick of the incompetent and insane rulers imposed on the country. He hoped that people of the country would soon get rid of such rulers under the able leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The Special Assistant to Chief Minister Sindh, Pir Noorullah Quraishi briefed the minister about the water situation and the issues of the farming community of the district. MPA Taj Mohammad Mallah, DC Badin Agha Shahnawaz Khan, Chairman Sida Basit Soomro, Chairman Area Water Board Qabool Mohammad Khatian and other officials were accompanying him