SANGHAR, July 26: Tail-end farmers of the Sarhari Shakh staged a demonstration and blocked the Nawabshah-Shahdadpur road on Monday in protest against a shortage of water in their area.

They were led by Yousuf Rind, Allahdad Rind, Atta Hussain and Mukhtiar Hussain. They alleged that irrigation officials of the Shahdadpur sub- division had created an artificial shortage of water in their area to extort money from them.

They said cotton and other seasonal crops over hundreds of acres of land were destroyed due to the water shortage. They alleged that watercourses on the head of the water channel were tampered by influential landlords with the connivance of irrigation officials.

They said many farmers had even shifted their cattle heads to other places as there was no water to plant fodder. The SDO of the irrigation department, Mansoor Memon, reached the spot and held negotiations with protesting farmers.

He said tail-end watercourses would start flowing within 12 hours and in future there would be no shortage of water. Mr Memon also promised strict action against landlords whose watercourses were found tampered with on the head of Sarhari Shakh.

NAWABSHAH: Tail-end farmers of the Jam Wah staged a demonstration against an artificial water shortage outside the press club here on Monday. Ghulam Rasool Zardari and Mohammad Ali Shar led the protesters who were carrying placards and chanting slogans against irrigation officials.

They alleged irrigation officials were selling water at Rs200 per hour by day and Rs2,400 per hour by night. They said there were 14 watercourses on the Jam Wah and about 7,000 acres of land was without crops.

They also staged a demonstration outside the district government secretariat where DO revenue Manzoor Soomro assured them that their problem would be taken up on urgent basis.

Meanwhile, growers of the Mir Rukun minor staged a demonstration outside the press club against an artificial water shortage on Monday. Moharram Lund and Anwar Dharejo led the protesters. They said their 5,000 acres of land was without water and growers from Beero Zardari, Khuda Bux Khoso, and Githi villages had already shifted due to the water shortage.