HYDERABAD, June 28: Drawing attention of chief minister and irrigation minister towards acute water shortage in the command area of Kotri barrage, President, Sindh Abadgar Board Abdul Majeed Nizamani has demanded declaring it ‘calamity hit’ because of the loss faced by the farmers there.

In separate communications to two government functionaries on Thursday, he mentioned the percentage of water shortage beginning from the mid of this month. Kotri Barrage experienced 79.5 per cent shortage on 15th, 64.5 per cent on 20th, 55 per cent on 24th, 54.6 per cent on 25th, 52.7 per cent on 26th, 52 on 27th, and 51.9 per cent on 28th, while Guddu recorded 36.3, 38.2, 45, 35.8, 32, 35.6, and 30.6 per cent, and Sukkur Barrage 29.1, 32.4, 36.3, 29, 25.4 and 20.7 per cent, in the same period, respectively.

Sowing of Kharif crops in the command area of Kotri barrage starts from April 1 but the situation is too dismal in regard to water availability, he mentioned. The figures quoted were randomly recorded, he explained.

It’s an acknowledged principle to provide water first to tail-end users but in Sindh it was being flouted right from the beginning, Mr Nizamani said.

Cultivation of Kharif season in Kotri Barrage begins much earlier than the northern barrages but it appears as if the authorities have forgotten it.

This is not a new phenomenon because Sindh had always been crying against the injustices of northern riparian a proof of which are above mentioned figures, he added. Korti Barrage appears to have been written off.

It’s an irony that the sown rice nurseries were unable to be raised because the seedlings had already suffered heavily due to drought conditions, he said adding cotton, sugarcane and vegetables were not left behind. These conditions halted the application of fertilizer and pesticide.

There still was some hope of improvement subject to water availability in July on account of monsoon rains, SAB official said.

He demanded ensured water supply in the remaining part of season so that farmers could save their cattle. He demanded declaring Kotri Barrage as calamity hit area and those responsible for inequitable distribution of water brought to justice.

He told Dawn by phone that the internal mismanagement ought to be tackled even though almost entire Kharif season had passed.