AS rice growing season is about to start in upper Sindh districts, frustration of small growers of this area is mounting keeping in view last year’s water shortage.

The small farmers spent a huge amount on rice seed, fertiliser and land cultivation for the crop but owing to severe water shortage, most of the farmers could not sow their crop. Some of the farmers who planted it failed to acquire a proper yield. As a result, they faced huge losses.

Water is scarce in the whole province and recently a campaign has been launched in Badin against water scarcity. Mismanagement is one of the major reasons for this because there is no system or mechanism for fair distribution of water. There is no canalisation of branches for a long time, while provincial irrigation department is negligent.

But water theft by influential landlords or waderas is the biggest problem. They have local power, therefore rest of the system is held hostage by them. No one is allowed to take water before them. It has also been observed that there is an artificial water shortage.

Influential landlords have constructed illegal cemented barriers on branches and watercourses to irrigate their own fields. Water is given to small farmers at the end of the season and that is why they could not get even average yield and they face financial crisis.

The Sindh irrigation department should focus on the problems of farmers so that they can sow their crop at the right time. It should also take action against the culprits which are involved in water theft.

Gulzar Ali Panhwar

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2019