GOWERS in lower Sindh districts have urged the provincial irrigation minister to ensure that they do not suffer from water shortages during the Rabi season.

They want release of adequate water in the Nara canal so that the Chotiari reservoir is filled and 290,000 acres irrigated by it in Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts, are brought under cultivation.

Cotton, sugarcane, rice, chilly and vegetables of Kharif season suffered seriously in these districts as the Chotiari reservoir, which irrigates vast tracks of land, did not get enough water.

The reservoir is built upon small lakes--- Gawari, Tajar, Phulel, Seri and Sao Naro. This complex of lakes receives water from Nara canal through Ajoeo and Ranto escapes in north-west. The reservoir provides water to southern Khipro sub-division of Sanghar and Umerkot districts for both irrigation and drinking purposes.

Maula Bux, an irrigation expert from Sanghar, said that the area where the Chotiari reservoir is located is characterised by wetlands, riverine forests, desert scrubs and sand dunes, which constitute a 'land of ecological richness.' Besides, it's a haven for migratory birds, hog-deer, crocodile and a variety of fish species. The area also supports grazing, fishing and other agricultural activities.

Lying between Achharo Thar (white sandy desert) and some wetland habitats in Sanghar district, the reservoir is spread over an area of 45,000 acres. Embankments built around it measure at 58 kilometres.

With storage capacity of around 0.71 million acres feet (MAF), it was built to irrigate additional 0.290 million acres in the three districts and provide livelihood to local fisherfolk and meet serious potable water shortage in Sanghar and Umerkot districts and the adjoining areas. But since 2006, those supposed to benefit by the Chotiari reservoir have failed to get adequate water.

Growers recalled that although construction of the reservoir was completed in 2002, it was filled only once during 2006 floods. Since then it never received enough water. Even during the recent summer floods, it remained unfilled.

“Why enough water is not released to the reservoir is best known to the irrigation officials. Owing to the lowest water level, cultivation of Kharif crops and vegetables on scores of thousands acres in Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts could not take place,” said Salehi Mangrio, WWF – Pakistan's expert on water reservoirs and natural resources.

Many fishermen have lost their livelihood as fish stock has depleted significantly and have migrated to nearby barrage areas or switched over to other means of livelihood, said Ali Ahmed Mallah.

Officials in the fisheries department said many of the 33 fish species in the Chotiari reservoir have gone extinct because of insufficient water availability.

Growers of the eastern districts in lower Sindh, particularly tail-enders, said that their Kharif sowing was hit a lot as water did not reach their lands. Consequently, sugarcane, rice, cotton, maize, onion, chilly and other vegetable crops posted low output.

“It is beyond our comprehension as to why the Nara canal remained almost dry', while the Sukkur barrage was in high flood in August and September,” said Santosh Kumar, a chilly grower in Umerkot. He owns 2,100 acres, but cultivated only 900 acres because of water shortage.

With a designed discharge capacity of 14,452 cusecs, the Nara canal is Sukkur Barrage's one of the four off taking canals, located on the left side of the barrage. And, the reservoir is filled through 26 kilometre-long Ranto canal, which gets water from the Nara canal.

Growers estimate that in lower Sindh's eastern districts - particularly Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Umerkot – Kharif production of sugarcane fell by around 30 per cent, cotton 40 per cent, maize 25 per cent, onion 40 per cent, chilly 35 per cent and vegetables 30 to 35 per cent.

“Had water been released in the Nara canal during the recent floods, the situation of Kharif crops would have been different,” said Akhund Ghulam Mohammad, general secretary of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture.

Some irrigation officials said that the four left bank canals getting water from Sukkur Barrage were kept closed because, these canals were in bad condition and would not have been able to bear the pressure of the deluge,” they argued.

Javed Ali Junejo, chairman of the Farmers' Organisations Council, termed the shortage in the tail-end areas of the Nara canal artificial, and held the area irrigation officials responsible for it.

He believed that “The canal was getting adequate water during the recent floods at the head but it's off take branches and watercourses in the tail-end districts were being deprived and that is why the Chotiari reservoir could not be filled despite the flood.”