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KHAIRPUR, Aug 6: The secretary, Irrigation, Sindh, Mir Mohammed Parhiar, on Monday has ordered an inquiry regarding the breach in the Mirwah Canal.
After visiting the site at RD No.53 of the Mirwah Canal, near the Therhi Bridge, he told newsmen that if the irrigation authorities had kept vigil the breach would not have developed.
He said an inquiry committee had been constituted, comprising a retired engineer, who will conduct the inquiry and the official(s) responsible will be dealt with strictly.
Regarding water theft and shortage of irrigation water, he said eight SDOs had been suspended while some executive engineers had been transferred on these charges.
He said there will be no shortage of water during the Rabi season if Punjab did not touch the Tarbela Dam and only dealt with the Mangla Dam.
He admitted that both banks of the Rohri Canal were weak from the Khairpur Luqman Bridge to Mehrabpur, Rasoolabad, Daraza, and some areas of Naushahro Feroze District.
TELEPHONE: Many people including councillors held a protest demonstration on Tuesday against the PTCL regarding the defective telephone system, which has remained so since the last two months, in Rasoolabad.
They were led by the Nazim, Union Council Rasoolabad.
They observed a sit-in on the Mehrabpur-Rasoolabad road and raised slogans against the telecommunication officials.
LOADSHEDDING: The power supply to at least 20 villages including Ukri Feeder, Alam Khan Dakhan, Pehalwan Siyal, Abad Majidano, Tando Mir Ali and Chappar Majidano broke down for about 12 hours on Tuesday.
The councillors of the area complained that the power supply was shut off daily for 10 to 12 hours as a result of which life had become paralyzed.
WATERCOURSES: The Naib Nazim, Sobhodero Taluka, raided the watercourses of the Gesro Shakh and found that they had been tampered with.
The Naib Nazim told journalists that the irrigation officials of the Gesro Shakh were selling water to the influential people of the area due to which the tail enders had been deprived of their share.
WATER SHORTAGE: The growers continued protest against water shortage in Sobhodero and Kingri talukas on Monday.
The protesters staged a sit-in and observed a token hunger strike in Hingorja. Vehicular traffic remained suspended on Sagiyoon-Hingorja road for two hours.
The executive engineer, irrigation, west, visited the hunger strike camp and tried to convince the growers to hold talks with him. However, the protesters refused to hold any talks till the supply of water was resumed.
The two waterways of Sobhodero taluka, Machhar Minor and Mehrab Minor remained closed on Monday.
Meanwhile, the growers of Lalan Wah, Mahesar Minor and Chandio Shakh of Kingri taluka also continued their protest.
According to them, the irrigation officials had closed their waterways and were selling water of their share mostly at night.
The crop position in Khairpur, Kot Diji, Mirwah and Faiz Ganj talukas is critical due to closure of more than 20 waterways.
The supply of drinking water in Khairpur, Kot Diji, Pacca Chang and Thari Mirwah has also been adversely affected due to water shortage in the canals.
On the other hand, the breach, which occurred in the Mirwah canal about a week back, was not plugged till Monday.
LOOTED: Five armed robbed a teacher’s family of a gun, gold ornaments and Rs5,000 cash in Gul Hasan village near Gambat on Sunday.
The robbers entered the house of the teacher, Sikandar Ali Sehto, held the inmates hostage on gunpoint and took away the looted things. Inquiry into Mirwah breach ordered
By Our Correspondent
