SANGHAR, April 26: Acute shortage of irrigation water has hampered the cotton sowing in the district. The irrigation department has resorted to the rotation programme due to low level of water in the Nara Canal. It was flowing at 8,780 cusecs against the designed 13,600 cusecs of water on Wednesday.

The entire branches and minors in the Nara Canal command area were supplied water after 15 days. Majority of farmers have sown cotton on ridges.

After germination of cotton seed, the first watering is required within seven days, but farmers failed to irrigate them on time due to the rotation programme and sprouted plants died. They cannot survive without water when the temperature is also high.

Farmers said that after 15 days when water had been supplied for seven days, the canal flow was at low ebb and the water could not reach their fields.

They said other farmers could not receive water at all because the supply stopped when their turn comes.