DADU, June 22: Vast swaths of farm lands could not be cultivated due to unfair distribution of water to the tail-enders of Dadu Canal where a number of modules and watercourses were found tempered with and tail-ends of different canals ran dry in Dadu, Johi, Paat Sharif, Sita and Bhan Syedabad sub -divisions of Southern division of Irrigation department.

According to a survey conducted by this correspondent, almost all modules till RD-8 of Pakka waterway were tempered with and a number of influential growers were found diverting water towards their farmland with the support of local irrigation officials.

At least 20 RDs were dried up and there was not a drop of water at the tail-end of this water way. Majority of people contacted by Dawn complained shortage of drinking water.

An affected grower of RD-12 of Pakka waterway Saban Channa said that he had 3,500 acres of land but could not cultivate even 10 acres of paddy crop due to unfair distribution of water. He alleged that irrigation officials had fixed a rate of Rs2,00,000 per watercourse for the current paddy season. The situation was not different at tail-end of Khudabad and Jagir waterways originating from Dadu canal.

Chhinni waterway of Johi sub-division consists of 147 RDs of which 100 RDs were dried up.

A Chhinni waterway grower, Ghulam Ali Khan Shahani, said that last year he had cultivated 25,000 acres of paddy crop, but during the current season, he could cultivate paddy only over 20 acres. He said that a population of 15,000 was facing shortage of drinking water at tail-end of Chhinni waterway. He alleged that share of growers of Chhinni waterway was sold to influential growers at head of Johi branch.

A grower of Pahore waterway, Ghulam Mustafa Leghari, said that all modules were tempered with at head. He complained that he could not get his share of water for seedlings of paddy crop.

A tali-ender of Pahore waterway, Usman Lund, complained that he could only cultivate 10 acres out of 50 acres of land.

The Chairman of Small Growers Association, Ghulam Qadir Rind, said that command area of Dadu canal was 480,000 acres of land, and it was receiving 2,200 cusec of water out of 2,400 cusec. He alleged that irrigation officers were releasing their share of water to Sehwan taluka, which would render 400,000 acres of land barren in Johi, Dadu, Sita, Bhan and Paat Sharif sub -divisions. He said that the residents of Johi town were also facing acute shortage of drinking water.

Tail-ends of Chejani and Lakha waterways remained dried up where thousand of acres of land could not be cultivated.

Piaro goth waterway of Sita sub-division was also affected, where out of 120 RDs, 105 RDs remained dried up. A grower of Piaro Goth waterway, Ali Mohammad, maintained that growers could not receive their share of water for the last six months.

He said that growers had approached irrigation officials and elected representatives but their problem could not be solved. Growers of Jung Habibullah and Qurban Hingoro villages warned of a hunger strike outside the shrine of Benazir Bhutto if drinking water was not released to Piaro Goth waterway.

The modules of Bhan Syedabad and Paat sub- divisions were tempered with at the head of waterways depriving the tail-enders of their share of water.

Sindh minister for Education, Pir Mazharul Haq, said that there were a number of complaints of water theft and unfair distribution of water and pledged to take up the matter with Sindh chief minister and irrigation minister.

Executive Engineer of Southern Division Mohammad Alam Rahpoto said that action against water thieves would be taken and also assured complete share of water to growers.

NAZIM BOOKED: The Dadu police have booked PML-Q backed Taluka Nazim of Dadu, Naban Khan Lund, for irrigation water theft from Pakka waterway on Sunday.