Farmers protest severe irrigation water shortage in lower Sindh

Farmers from tail-end areas of the Saifal Branch originating from Mithrao Canal on Friday staged a protest in Mirpurkhas over what they termed an artificial shortage and illegal diversion of irrigation water, alleging that their crops were at risk due to acute water scarcity

MIRPURKHAS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th May, 2026) Farmers from tail-end areas of the Saifal Branch originating from Mithrao Canal on Friday staged a protest in Mirpurkhas over what they termed an artificial shortage and illegal diversion of irrigation water, alleging that their crops were at risk due to acute water scarcity.

Speaking at a press conference at the Aiwan-e-Sahafat Mirpurkhas, affected growers including Faiz Muhammad Mangrio, Nawaz Ali Bhayo, Qabool Shar and Muhammad Hassan Mangrio claimed that illegal water outlets and pipelines had been installed in upstream areas with alleged collusion of certain authorities, severely reducing water flow to tail-end regions.

The farmers said repeated complaints to the Irrigation Department had yielded no action, while authorities reportedly shifted responsibility by stating that the canal system was under the Farmers Organization.

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They further alleged that missing frames of multiple watercourses and damaged infrastructure had worsened the situation, leading to drastic reduction in water supply.

Protesters warned that instead of receiving their due share, only a minimal amount of water was reaching their fields, with even drinking water becoming scarce in some areas. They demanded immediate action from the Irrigation Department, the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) management, and other relevant bodies to restore fair distribution, remove illegal connections, and ensure proper water supply, or else they would launch wider protests.

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