MIRPURKHAS - Hundreds of tail-end abadgars of Puran distributaries fed by Jamrao Canal staged a sit-in outside the office of the director of the Nara Canal Water Board here on Monday to protest unavailability of irrigation water to tails of Puran distributaries for the last five months.

The protesters led by Chaudhry Siddique, Mehboob Khero and Mir Ali Ahmed Talpure were carrying banners and placards. They staged a sit-in and raised slogans against the director of the Nara Canal, executive engineer of Jamrao and other staff.

Talking to media persons, the protesters said that Puran distributaries, which covered an eight-mile area, had been dry for the last five months and tail-end abadgars of 28 water courses had been deprived of their water share.

They said the Jamrao executive engineer and other staff had sold their water share to big landlords and the elected representatives belonging to the ruling party were involved in water theft in connivance with irrigation officials. They said that no irrigation official was ready to listen to their complaints. They said that a week ago they held a meeting with Deputy Commissioner of Mirpurkhas Zahid Memon, Chairman of District Council Mir Anwer Ali Khan Talpur, director of Nara Canal and Jamrao Division executive engineer and they assured them of regular water supply within a week.

They warned that their sit-in would continue until acceptance of their demands. They said that there was no water for drinking and domestic use in their region. They demanded that the Sindh chief minister and governor take notice of the situation and ensure water supply to tail-end abadgars.