DERA GHAZI KHAN: A delay in the restoration of flood-affected Chashma Right Bank Canal will affect the sowing of wheat, gram and canola crops, sources told Dawn.

The floods in the mountain drains of the Sulaiman Range in July and August devastated hundreds of human settlements and standing crops of cotton and rice belt of Taunsa in district Dera Ghazi Khan.

The canal irrigates areas of Taunsa. The canal starts from Chashma and reaches Taunsa after irrigating land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was built by Wapda and the portion passing through Taunsa was handed over to the Punjab Irrigation Department during the tenure of former chief minister Usman Buzdar.

Floods badly affected the brick-lined canal in the district of Dera Ismail Khan and Taunsa.

Farmers’ leader Hafiz Hassan told Dawn that a delay in the reinstatement of the canal would leave the farmers of the area unable to sow their crops of wheat, gram, and canola on time.

He said cultivation used to be initiated from Oct 15 while this time, there is no chance of provision of irrigation water by that time. Other than the unavailability of water, money is another problem.

He said the cotton crop had been destroyed by flood, leaving nothing in their hands for the next sowing. He said farmers needed financial support along with the provision of inputs for the next sowing. He said that 281,000 acres were irrigated by the Chashma Right Bank Canal.

A Food Department told Dawn the department procured 1.2 million gunny bags from Taunsa every year, but this year’s wheat would not be available in abundance due to flood devastation and delay in sowing.

An Irrigation Department officer told Dawn, seeking anonymity, that the department was trying its best to restore the canal despite lacking funds. He said that the restoration of the damaged portion in KP also needed the attention of Wapda.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2022