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HYDERABAD, July 6: Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Food and Agriculture, Murtaza Khan Jatoi, said that the government had requested the federal government for lining 100 per cent watercourses instead of 30 per cent to check wastage of water and increase crop yield. He was speaking at a certificate distribution function of the newly appointed directors and assistant directors who had completed the training course at Sindh Agriculture University in Tandojam on Tuesday.
The programme was organized by the directorate of farm water management. Two hundred and sixty officers received training in the faculty of engineering of the university.
Mr Jatoi said that 33,000 watercourses were being lined under the national programme and 4,000 under the Sindh on-farm water management, which were 30 per cent of the total watercourses in Sindh.
He, however, said that the Sindh government had requested the federal government to provide funds for the lining of 100 per cent watercourses during the next 10 years.
The adviser said that the growers were indebted to President General Pervez Musharraf, who had initiated a massive watercourses lining programme throughout the country.
DEMO: The tail-end growers of Chhar minor, Hala regulator, staged a protest outside the local press club on Tuesday against acute shortage of water.
Talking to reporters, Mohammad Bux Nizamani, Mir Mohammad and Ghulam Rasool Lakho appealed to the high-ups of irrigation department to visit Chhar minor personally and see for themselves the prevailing situation.
They said thousands of acres of land had been rendered barren due to acute shortage of water.
They said that at least 2.2 feet water should be released in Hala regulator, judicious distribution of water should be ensured, ‘the corrupt officials of Hala irrigation sub-division should be removed’ and the high officials of irrigation department should personally monitor the water level in Hala regulator.
They further demanded that Hala regulator should be handed over to Rangers to ensure judicious distribution of water.
BREACH : A 15-foot breach occurred in Akram Wah near Tando Mohammad Khan on Tuesday as a result of which 50 acres of land and seven houses of Goth Noor Mohammad Kaleri were inundated.
Reports reaching here from Tando Mohammad Khan said that standing crops were seriously affected. The breach was plugged on self-help basis by the villagers and some staff members of the irrigation department. Reports said that breach had occurred due to the increase of water level in Akram Wah.
