HYDERABAD, May 24: Growers have appealed to the president and the Sindh government to ensure release of water in Khoski, Jargus, Sangi and other channels of the Phuro regulator, Khairpur Ghanbho sub-division.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, they observed that they had not been supplied water for the last two months. If the situation persisted, 50,000 acres of rich agriculture land would be destroyed, they added.

They said that the water shortage had also forced many farmers to migrate to other areas. They said that on account of non-release of water, they had not been able to cultivate Kharif crops which were usually sown in March, April and May. They maintained that the late cultivation of crops would have a negative impact on produce.

The growers pointed out that the Phuro regulator, Khairpur Ghanbho sub-division, Naseer division, supplied water to eight channels and sub-channels. They regretted that they had made appeals to authorities concerned, including the irrigation minister and secretary, sub- engineer, Rohri Circle, executive engineer, Naseer division, and had held protest demonstrations and staged sit-ins but to no avail.

The growers said that they were given an assurance by the executive engineer, Hafiz Abdus Sattar, and the SDO, Rahim Qureshi, in writing that water would be supplied to them for two weeks without any interruption but that promise was not honoured.

They said that even drinking water was not available for human beings and livestock. Giving details, they said that residents of 138 villages were forced to drink brackish water due to non-availability of sweet water.

The growers accused irrigation officials of selling the share of the Khairpur Ghanbho sub-division to other sub-divisions. They said that they would incur losses if water was not supplied to them as they had spent huge amounts on land preparation.

They regretted that sufficient water was available at the head of the Rohri Canal and the Naseer Canal but growers of the Khairpur Ghanbho sub-division were being deprived of their water share.

The growers threatened to hold protest demonstrations outside the Chief Minister's House in Karachi and President's House in Islamabad if water was not released to their lands. Those who spoke at the news conference included Mohammad Hussain Chandio, Khurshid Alam Arain, Ghulam Mustafa Malkani and Akhtar Usman.