HYDERABAD, June 8: Training of 260 newly-appointed officers of the on-farm water management department has started at the Sindh Agriculture University in Tandojam.

The officers will work to improve 33,000 watercourses in the province after the training.

Inaugurating the training programme on Sunday, university vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmad Shaikh said the River Indus was the only source of water for Sindh and added that water supply to tail-end growers must be ensured.

He said the training programme was aimed at ensuring proper management and optimum use of available water.

Dr Shaikh said 33,000 watercourses out of 45,000 would be lined under the national programme in the province. He said 7,500 watercourses had already been lined.

The director general of the agriculture engineering and water management department, Shaukat Ali Rahimoon, said judicious distribution of water would be ensured through improvement of watercourses with the help of trained officers and growers.

Dr Nisar Ahmad Memon, Agha Zafarullah Durrani, Dr Mohammad Saleh Soomro and others also spoke on the occasion.