HYDERABAD: The director general of the Federal Water Management Cell, Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR), Kifayatuz Zaman, on Monday visited the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) and discussed new policy on water pricing with its chairman Abdul Basit Soomro and other officers.

Mr Zaman informed them that a new water pricing policy was being worked out under Prime Minister’s Agriculture Emergency Prog­ra­­m­me. He said his visit and meetings were part of consultations with all stakeholders.

He said the stakeholders’ suggestions would be obtained in these consultative meetings and considered before preparing the policy.

Sida managing director Pritam Das informed the federal official that Sindh had three barrages and 14 main canals. Of them, 10 canals are managed by the irrigation department and the rest by Sida. He said Sida had three area water boards (AWBs) for managing the four canals under the Sindh Water Management Ordinance, w­­h­ich formed the basis for Sida creation.

Mr Das said that these ADBs had 300 farmers organisations (FOs). These organisations work under participatory approach for distribution of irrigation water. Besides, he added, 10,000 watercourse associations had been formed for assessment of crop and water charges.

He said that Sindh irrigation department was also performing its functions under the Irrigation Act of 1879 in the rest of the province.

The Sida MD informed him that the watercourse associations constituted the ‘basic unit’ of the irrigation system. He said a landowner’s share in water was determined on an hourly basis.

He said one watercourse association was formed at every specific channel and it assessed crop production and determined water charges for each individual landowner or grower. Out of the total recovery, 60pc is kept by the AWB concerned and the rest of the amount is used by the management or association and the FO of the channel concerned.

Sida’s general manager (transition) Ghulam Mustafa Ujjan said that various steps had been taken by the Authority for improving the assessment and recovery of water charges. He said trainings were imparted to watercourse associations’ representatives in this regard.

The AWBs recover water charges from commercial consumers on their own. Through participatory approach, risks are lessened.

Mr Das also discussed high efficiency irrigation system, flow measurement and assessment issues.

Mr Kifayat said that the important information he was provided in the meeting helped him understand the irrigation system under Sida. Different issues were being reviewed in these consultative meetings, he said, adding that the new policy would be comprehensive.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2022