DI KHAN: The farmers on Wednesday blocked Mufti Mahmood Chowk to record a protest against the closure of Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) and delay in its repair after its destruction during the recent floods. The protesters put tyres on fire and erected barricades to block the main Bannu Road for all kind of traffic which resulted in long queues of vehicles on both sides of the chowk and on the bypass road.The farmers demanded that the repair work on CRBC should be started immediately as its delay was causing serious difficulties for the farmers. Due to the unavailability of irrigation water, the ready crop of sugarcane was being affected badly, besides the sowing of wheat was also becoming impossible.“If the availability of irrigation water was not ensured for sowing of the wheat crop, not only the Dera Ismail Khan city but the entire province could face food shortage,” the farmers said. They demanded of the elected representatives of D.I. Khan, and the federal and provincial governments to take immediate steps for repairing of CRBC canal.The protesting farmers dispersed peacefully after the successful negotiations with the district administration. DNA
