The Anti-Corruption Establishment in Punjab (ACE) has arrested office-bearers of a farmer organisation for helping in stealing and selling the irrigation canal water Gunjayana Nao Canal, Sheikhupura.
The organisation was constituted by the Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority to check the theft of canal water. All the accused ones have been sent to lock-up for further investigation.
Ahsan ul Haq, a local farmer of Sheikhupura, lodged a complaint to Director General Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab Brigadier Muhammad Aslam Ghuman (Retd) that Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority has constituted Farmer Organisation, comprising local farmers, to check the theft of irrigation water and a similar organisation has also been set up to look after Rajbah Gujnayana Nao, Sheikhupura for the said purpose.
He alleged that office bearers of this organisation were involved in helping thefting canal water after taking gratification from the farmers. Consequently, his cultivated area, located at tail, was being deprived of canal water. The Additional Director Lahore Region was asked to take prompt action. A raiding team comprising Circle Officer Anti-Corruption Sheikhupura Syed Zubair Akhlaq, raided under the supervision of Ahsan Yaqoob Magistrate.
The raiding team found that canal water was being stolen from 15 points after breaching the banks of the canal and those farmers were facilitated who were not entitled.
Local farmers told the raiding team that office-bearers of Farmer Organisation were providing them water after getting an amount of Rs 100,000 each from the farmers. The raiding team arrested Secretary General farmer organisation Nasir Toor and a member Riaz Dogar red handed while a case has been registered against all the office-bearers of the body including its President, Vice President and Finance Secretary. The raiding party has also taken in to custody pipes and other machinery used for water theft.
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