BAHAWALNAGAR: Scores of residents of Chak 102, Fateh where properties were hit by a 50-foot wide breach, on Wednesday protested against the irrigation officials who allegedly failed to take timely action and provide relief to the distressed.

Speaking to journalists near Chak 102, the residents claimed that a 50-foot wide breach occurred in Fateh Canal and inundated the nearby area. They said many people alerted the irrigation and other departments. However, they said, no government official showed up and the hapless people tried to plug the breach on their own.

They said the locals despite their best efforts failed to plug the breach after trying for eight hours and a large area of irrigation land and cotton crop ready to be harvested was flooded. The water, they said, entered Chak 102 and people started moving out of the area.

The protesters said the canal water entered homes, union council offices and schools the walls of which collapsed and many other buildings were damaged. Worse still, they said, many graves were destroyed by the water.

Officials of the revenue department brought machinery and stopped the breach after much delay, they alleged. They said that during the past three months, several incidents of breach in the canal in Chishtian took place and more than two dozen such incidents took place in the district.

The affected people alleged that the influential segment of residents in connivance with officials of the irrigation department stole water from the canal by making channels that eventually led to breaches. They demanded that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar take notice of the delay in plugging the breach and compensate the farmers for the losses.

Rana Sajjad told Dawn that his seeds worth Rs500,000 were swept away and acres of agriculture land damaged. He alleged that the officials of the irrigation department had filled the canal beyond capacity and the banks were weak. He said repeated reminders to the officials concerned to address the issue proved futile.

Shair Ali said it was the last day of water flow in the canal and some landowners were stealing water.

SDO Asghar said cracks usually appear because of cuts made to steal water. He said an FIR would be lodged against seven farmers involved in water theft.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2019