SWABI: The farmers here on Monday demanded immediate release of water in the local canals to help them irrigate their wheat and other crops.

Talking to Dawn, growers in Gohati, Maneri, Charbagh, Swabi union council and Karnal Sher Khan said their crops badly needed irrigation water. They lamented that it was not known when the irrigation department would release water in canals.

The farmers said growing crops was their only source of income.

Noorul Zaman of Pirtab village said his garlic, wheat, tomato and cucumber crops were in critical stage and badly needed water. “I am desperately waiting for release of water into the canals by the irrigation department,” he said.

Sanaullah of Maneri Bala village said cultivation of tobacco crop was expected to start soon and the growers were extremely perturbed due to non-availability of irrigation water.

Alam Sher Gohati, provincial general secretary of Anjuman-i-Kashtkaran, said the irrigation department should immediately release water into canals to enable farmers to irrigate their crops. He feared wheat and tobacco yields could be adversely affected if release of water in canals was further delayed.

When contacted, an official at the district irrigation office told Dawn that the canal dredging process was going on at a slow pace. However, he hoped the cleaning process would be completed soon.

VENDOR COMPENSATED: The newly-elected Swabi city mayor on Monday paid compensation to a fruit vendor, whose fruit was spilled over the road when law enforcement personnel allegedly manhandled him during the passage of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser from the area on Sunday.

A video had gone viral on social media showing that security personnel manhandling the vendor.

Sangeen Sher was selling fruit in Gohati Bridge area when cavalcade of the speaker passed through the area amid tight security.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2022