Growers protest disposal of toxic water into canals.

LARKANA -- A large number of growers and small landholders took to the streets and staged a sit-in in Shahdadkot town to protest against release of highly contaminated stagnant rainwater into Khirthar Canal and Saifullah Magsi branch, which, they feared, would damage beyond repair the few acres of farmland saved from floodwaters.

Qambar-Shahdadkot district president of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) Abdul Khalique Khoso and Joint Action Committee (JAC) leaders Wahab Pandrani, Khalid Umar Khoso and others said while speaking to participants in the sit-in at Kotoo-Motoo chowk that irrigation department officials were releasing the highly toxic rainwater into the two canals through big pumping machines.

The stagnant rainwater on the right side of Khirthar Canal was now being lifted and diverted through pumping stations in Garhi Yasin and released into the canal, they said.

They said that stagnant rainwater being lifted from Ratodero branch was being released into North Western Canal. The strategy was quite uncalled for and very harmful for the crops, they said, adding at present both the canals were flowing to their maximum capacity.

They said the water in the canals was highly contaminated and posed a serious threat to farmland's...