MIRPURKHAS, July 24: Sindh Food and Agriculture Minister Arif Mustafa Jatoi has said efforts are being made to ensure judicious distribution of water among growers.

He was reading from the written speech of Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, who was to be the chief guest at a ceremony to hand over the charge of 30 irrigation channels to farmers’ organizations (FOs) under the participatory irrigation management system here on Thursday. The governor could not make it because of his busy schedule.

Mr Jatoi said the process of reforms in the irrigation system was started in 1997 and three area water boards (AWBs) were set up in Sindh. He said barrages would also be transferred to the Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority.

He said under the existing system, recovery of loans from growers would improve and problems being faced due to direct outlets of canals would also be resolved.

He assured growers that the Sindh government would support the system.

Sida chairman Abdul Haq said 1,500 farmers’ organizations would be formed under the new system. He said 180 FOs were registered out of which 160 were in the Nara Canal AWB. He said 112 channels of the Nara Canal had been handed over to FOs.

He further said 50,000 farmers were associated with the present system which was aimed at improving economic condition of growers.

Sindh Farmers’ Organization Council chairman Ali Gohar Shah demanded that 25 per cent share of farmers in lining watercourses should be waived off on the pattern of Punjab, a survey of losses to standing crops in Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts due to the recent rain be conducted, affected growers be provided with relief, growers of Tharparkar be given seeds free of cost and the interest rate on agriculture loan be decreased.