HYDERABAD, Sept 9: The Sindh secretary for irrigation has said his department is discussing with agriculturists and farmers ways of ensuring optimal use of water ahead of the Rabi season when 60 per cent shortage of water is feared.

The secretary, Ashfaq Memon, was talking to a group of journalists about water availability during the Rabi season, beginning from October, here on Wednesday. He said a committee, comprising representatives of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture and the Sindh Abadgar Board, would meet to ensure optimal use of water.

He said farmers had accepted an option, put forward by the irrigation minister, regarding availability of four million acre feet water from Tarbela and Mangla dams by Sept 31 to get better Kharif crops and save 40 per cent water for Rabi crops.

Mr Memon said a committee, headed by the deputy irrigation secretary, had been formed to manage availability of water during Rabi season. He stated that the Chotiari Dam was being filled so that the Lower Nara Canal could be provided with water for early crops.

He said the water management plan for Rabi would be finalized before Sept 15. He said according to estimates, 65,000 to 70,000 cusecs of water would be available in all rivers, of which Sindh's share was between 20,000 to 22,000 cusecs.

The secretary told the journalists that after Sept 25, water would not be provided from the Tarbela Dam and around Oct 10, 18,000 to 20,000 cusecs of water would be provided at Kotri upstream. He said a rotation programme would be introduced during this period.

BAN ON USE OF PHONE: Excessive amount in telephone bills is being deducted from salaries of SHOs throughout Sindh following the directives of provincial police officer, Syed Kamal Shah.