LAHORE, Feb 24: Participants in a farmers' convention on Tuesday unanimously supported the construction of Kalabagh dam. The convention, arranged by the Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA) , was aimed at discussing the present and future state of irrigation reforms package sponsored by the World Bank. Farmers, hailing from various parts of the Punjab, urged the government to start construction of Kalabagh dam, ignoring protests by the "vested interests".

Punjab Irrigation Minister Amer Sultan Cheema was chief guest while PIDA general manger Shafqat Masud, Water Management Wing director general Mushtaq Gill and Farmers Associates Pakistan member Rabia Sultan spoke on the occasion.

Nearly 100 representatives of farmer organizations, which had been set up by the irrigation department for managing canals, voiced their concern over delay in handing over the control of canals to them. They were of the view that despite the passage of two years of the programme, the department had not been able to hand over the control of canals to them.

The irrigation officials, however, maintained that the whole process would be completed after proper training of farmers. They said the three-year trial period of farmer organizations would start with formal handing over of the operation of canals to them.

Through another resolution, the farmers asked the government to extend a 50 per cent subsidy on electricity tariff of tubwells to saline area farmers. They also criticized the implementation of flat rate of abiana.

The minister said the government wanted to put the irrigation department under the charge of farmers. The PIDA was conceived for protecting the rights of farmers as well as enabling them to take part in decision making. He was of the view that an agriculture revolution could be brought about by the joint efforts of farmers and government.

He said the irrigation department was in the process of introducing a joint canal operation system, in which participation of farmers would be ensured to manage canals. The setting up of Khal and Nehri panchayat were part of government's initiative, he said.