HYDERABAD, Aug 20: The Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) has once again demanded an impartial inquiry into the Rohri Canal breach.

A statement issued by the SAB here on Tuesday said that the Rohri Canal irrigated three million acres of the most fertile land of Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Nawabshah, Sanghar, Hyderabad, and Badin disticts.

It said that relief should be provided to the affected farmers, and the provincial and federal governments should take permanent steps to resolve the perennial problem of the Rohri Canal which was the heart of the irrigation system of the province.

It pointed out that although the irrigation department with the help of the army and volunteers had tried to plug the breach but on the third day another disaster took place when the embankment of the Mirwah Canal which has a common embankment with the Rohri Canal also gave way and the Rohri Canal was again flooded.

The SAB has given a cautious estimate of the colossal losses, which are no less than Rs3 billion.

It regretted that although water was available in the system but the growers of the Rohri Canal would suffer losses to the tune of 50 per cent due to the shortage of water as it would take another month to restore the system completely.

It said that the government should accept the responsibility for the losses and provide relief to the affected farmers.

It said that when the water level was rising and the water demand was at its peak, the top management was changed without a reason.

The SAB drew the attention of the government to the fact that breaches in the Rohri Canal had become a common factor because the embankments were not being properly maintained.

It observed that the Rohri Canal also shared a common embankment with the Mirwah Canal of approximately 50 RDs.

It demanded that this portion should be lined without any further delay and the canal should be remodelled to enhance its capacity to 18,000 cusecs.

SCA: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has expressed shock over the statement of the Sindh governor, Mohammedmian Soomro, that the greater Thal canal project was included in the 1991 water accord.

The meeting was held here the other day under the chairmanship of Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah.

The SCA said that it was a complete travesty of facts because the project was not included in the accord.

It said that the project was rejected and permanently shelved by the ECNEC in its meeting held on August 19, 1975, and added that in the 10 daily statements signed by the authorized representative of Punjab, there was no mention of the greater Thal canal.

It maintained that in the 10 daily statements earlier, the provision had been made incorrectly because the scheme simply did not exist between the period 1977-82.

It said that the data provided by Punjab for system-wise uses for 1977-1982 also did not contain any mention of the Thal canal simply because it was non-existent.

SEMINAR: The Institute of Women Development Studies, University of Sindh, in collaboration with the ministry of women development, will organize a seminar on “Role of Women in the October Election” at the Institute of Sindhology, Jamshoro, on Aug 31.