- SYDNEY (Reuters) - Thieves
are stealing water from rivers and public waterways and selling the precious
liquid to hard-up Australian farmers struggling against one of the worst
droughts in a century, officials said on Tuesday.
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- Queensland state Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson
said his department was investigating 146 complaints and would prosecute
anybody found to be taking more water than they are allowed to or anyone
profiting from the hardship of farmers.
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- "It is low. It is despicable. It amounts to stealing
water from your neighbors during a drought," Robertson told state
parliament.
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- He said there were reports of some people filling tanker
trucks with water to sell to drought-afflicted properties. Taking water
without authorization is a crime in Queensland that carries a potential
fine of A$124,000 ($69,500).
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- The farmlands of this vast food exporting nation have
been devastated by a severe drought that has halved the winter wheat crop
since it took root in March and now threatens to prevent planting of the
summer sorghum crop.
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- Exacerbated by a return of the periodic El Nino weather
event, which every few years brings reduced rainfall to eastern Australia
and downpours to western South America, weather forecasters say the drought
is likely to last through into 2003.
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