The panic of paddy-growers, as expressed in national dailies recently, is not unjustified. They are faced with non availability of water due to which crops spread over 2.2 millions acres are under a serious threat. Although the season of paddy sowing starts from 1st of May, the water has not been released in the Rice Canal meant for feeding the rice growing area. Unfortunately the irrigation department always acts in step-motherly fashion when it comes to the Rice Canal. This canal is the only non-perennial inland waterway meant for rice growing areas, which legally flows for six months. By stopping water to this important feeder especially at the sowing season, the irrigation department is depriving millions of people living in the rural areas of Sindh from their staple diet of rice-bread, which also happens to be a delicacy native to Sindh. One concludes that by this mindless act, the irrigation authorities are trying to defame the newly installed government. The irrigation people know that sowing season of rice seedling is already late by a month and any more delay could seriously deplete the crop due to assault of insects and pests. -QAZI SHAFQAT HUSSAIN, Hyderabad, via e-mail, June 4.