MUZAFFARGARH: The irrigation department has failed to control water theft from canals and minors leaving the farmers at tail ends high and dry.

A number of farmers of Kot Addu and Alipur tehsils recently complained about their plight at the PM portal but to no avail. They said they needed water for cotton and paddy cultivation but the minors seemed dried-up as a major chunk was stolen by the influential landowners.

At Kot Addu tehsil, many landowners have fitted pipes in TP Link canal for watering their land in connivance with the officials of Head Taunsa Barrage. The same situation is at Abbas, Lower Kot Wah, Jakhri and Zikryia minors.

On Tuesday, Mian Fiaz Ahmad Chajra, an independent candidate of NA-183, reached Mahmoodkot where dozens of farmers gathered and asked him to lead the protest of farmers. He said he had already warned the irrigation officials of protest if they failed to listen to the complaints of the farmers.

At Alipur tehsil about 100 kilometres away from the city, the farmers had not been getting the required amount of water from minors including Lunda for the last three years. They alleged that the landlords with the backing of politicians had ensured diversions of water, thus, depriving them of the right to irrigate lands.

Fiaz Hussain, Alamdar and Muhammad Fazil told Dawn that they had been deprived of water through Lunda minor for the last many years. They said they had been trying to convince EXEN Irrigation Abdul Wahid (who has additional charge of Muzaffargarh) for the last one month of their requirement and blatant illegality but the officer told them that he had temporary charge and they should wait for the new officer. The farmers said they also went to Dera Ghazi Khan chief engineer office where an official said Mr Rashid Mansoor had retired and the new officer would be appointed soon.

They said they registered their complaint at the PM portal but that too had proved an exercise in futility. They said police had already registered 26 water theft cases but not made a single arrest. They have appealed to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to constitute a special team to meet the farmers to listen to their complaints and order action against the wrongdoers.

Muzaffargarh’s acting EXEN Abdul Wahid said he was looking into the matter though he sits in Multan because of having acting charge.

Man sets himself on fire: A man set himself on fire on Tuesday in Marha Gharbi near Rohallanwali on Tuesday.

Jam Riaz Ahmad Marha, of Marha Gharbi near Rohallanwali police station, doused himself with petrol and burnt himself.

He suffered burns to 70 per cent of his body and was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital from where he was sent to Multan’s Nishtar Hospital because of his life-threatening injuries.

He told his relatives that he had paid money to local landowner Kala Gujjar to buy 30 marlas from him some three years ago. Now he refused to give him a mutation, to which he tried to kill himself in utter disappointment.

The police are looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2021