SUKKUR, Oct 4: More than 4,000 watercourses would be constructed by the end of June 2004, moreover, work on the rehabilitation of more than 100 small canals would also be finalized during the period.

This was disclosed by the representative of the World Bank, Manuel Contijoch, in a meeting of farmers in Ghotki on Friday.

He further said work on the rehabilitation of 25 branch canals was under way which would also be completed during the period with a cost of US$100 million to be provided by the bank.

A high-level delegation of the World Bank, led by Mr Manuel, visited the office of Ghotki Feeder Canal Area Water Board with the managing director, Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority, Rafiq Saifi.

The director, Ghotki Area Water Board, Zafarullah Mahar, briefing the delegation, said the SIDA had registered 10 Farmers’ Organizations to date while the target of 70 FOs would be achieved in a year, after which, waterways of the district would be handed over to the growers.

Later, Mr Manuel awarded certificates to the farmers of the 10 FOs who had participated in a training course in September.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Manuel said that participation of the growers in the rehabilitation programme was evident of the importance they attached to the betterment of water resources.

He said the purpose of his visit was to support fair distribution of water to the province and to review development projects. He further said that funds required for the projects would be provided by the bank.

Talking to the farmers, Usman Qamar, a representative of the World Bank, said that after the completion of these projects, irrigation water could be saved from going waste. He said 100,000 acres of land would be levelled, whereas, after the rehabilitation of the waterways, more than a million acres of land could get equitable water share.