SAI alleges artificial water shortage created in tail-end areas

HYDERABAD: The monthly meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) was held in Hyderabad under the chairmanship of alliance president Nawab Zubair Ahmed Talpur.

In the meeting, concern was expressed over the continuous supply from the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to the Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) and Taunsa-Panjnad link canals (TP), and a demand was made for their immediate shutdown.

It was stated during the meeting that despite water being available in the Rohri and Nara canals at the left side of the province, an artificial shortage has been created by irrigation authorities in the tail-end areas to harm small farmers. These areas are left without water for agriculture, drinking, or for animals and birds.

The meeting rejected corporate farming and demanded the immediate return of Sindh’s lands, stating that corporate farming is consistently harmful to Sindh. Local people are being deprived of land, and if the project is not withdrawn, there will be strong protests after May 20.

The growers also demanded that rice cultivation be immediately stopped in those command canal areas where it is officially banned, alleging that the irrigation department is accepting bribes to allow rice cultivation there.

It was also said that in the meeting that if any canals-related project is revived, the farmers of Sindh will once again strongly resist, so such actions should be avoided. The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad also announced the launch of a signature campaign across Sindh against the canals project. It rejected any future anti-Sindh decisions by the CCI and ECNEC, stating that the people of Sindh will not accept any such decisions by the CCI. The meeting also condemned the filing of fake cases against social activists and lawyers who participated in the Babarlo sit-in. It was demanded that in view of the current inflation, expenses, and circumstances, the wheat support price be fixed at Rs4,500 per 40kg, and fair prices be set for other crops as well.