Protests in Thatta due to dry water supplies

Hundres of farmers, laborers and locals staged Thursday a massive sit-in on National Highway against shortage of water in the area.

The protesters included members of different nationalist groups and parties. They clogged the Thatta-Hyderabad Highway near the Chatto Chand town and raised slogans against the concerned quarters for not taking the issue seriously.

The protesters said the irrigation department and illegal distribution of water was responsible for the situation. According to media reports, the hours-long protest led to the blockage of vehicular traffic on both sides of the highway, causing inconvenience to picnickers on Eid’s third day.

Led by leaders of the associations, the protesters criticized the provincial government for its failure in resolving the decades-old issue of water scarcity.

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Addressing the sit-in, Amanullah Brohi, a leader of the growers association, said that a huge population of Thatta was braving an acute shortage of water for the past several months, but neither the government officials nor the representatives of political parties were ready to pay any heed to it.

Sharif Jakhro, an activist of a nationalist party, said the main water reservoirs, including Simkin, Thatta water channel, Gharo Massan water channel, Halat, Jam Wah, Bayo Purandas channel and Jam Branch, were getting dry due to the negligence of irrigation officials.

He said that the agriculture sector, livestock sector, and aquatic creature were forced to bear the brunt of the acute shortage of water. “This is just due to an injudicious supply of water in the district by the agriculture department officials and their high-ups,” said Hanif Sommro. He stated that the situation had turned alarming and the area was heading towards a drought. Sensing the gravity of the scenario, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Member of Provincial Assembly and Special Assistant to the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Riaz Hussain Shah reached the site and held talks with the demonstrators after which they wrapped their sit-in.