May 30, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

BADIN, May 29: Crops, livestock, and population are under threat due to irrigation water shortage while sugar industry is on the verge of collapse. Growers are removing the recently sown sugarcane from fields and selling it as a feeder for cattle at piris.

According to survey conducted by this correspondent, the worst affected were Golarchi and Badin talukas where people in a state of frustration were destroying sugarcane crop after spending huge amount on development of land and cultivation.

A grower of Golarchi, Sawan Khan told Dawn that he was cultivating sugarcane crop on 15 acres for second consecutive year, spent huge amount on labour, development and fertilizer but non-availability of water forced him to sell it as a fodder to avoid further losses.

Ali Nawaz Chandio of Kadhan said, he cultivated new crop on 10 acres this year by spending huge amount on development which would have been a bumper crop but water shortage resulted in dying of crop and forced him either to remove immature crop, sell it as fodder or wait for water and let it wither, said Chandio.

Landlord Allah Dino Shah of Badin said that he wanted to develop his land for sugarcane but was aggrieved by the millers for getting indents and later delayed payments which protected him from disaster. He said 70 per cent of country’s sugar industry was based in Sindh, while Badin was a major contributor.

District Officer Agriculture, Mohammad Yousuf Rahimoon when contacted confirmed that growers were removing immature cane crop from their land. He said sugarcane cultivation in Badin district was reduced by 6,136 hectares this year as against last year’s 64,869 hectares.

Pointing out causes of less cultivation, he said, growers faced hardships in receiving payment of outstanding dues and annoyed by mill owners for less cane prices.

Executive Engineer Irrigation Division Lined Channel, Mohammad Ali Zardari said it was unfortunate that almost all canals and distributaries of his three sub-divisions i.e., Kadhan, Badin and Shadi sub-divisions were facing water shortage and tail-enders facing shortage of even drinking water.

He said the situation would deteriorate in coming weeks unless water was not released from Guddu, immediately. Growers waiting for water were getting desperate and any further delay in supply would damage socio- economic fabric of this area. The population fears a famine if they fail to cultivate Kharif crops this year.