MUZAFFARGARH: The phenomenon of waterlogging is returning to Muzaffargarh, which had disappeared or mitigated to some extent after the lining of the Muzaffargarh canal in 2014.

The Scarp-run tubewells have also been closed down along the two canals -- Muzaffargarh Canal and the TP-Link Canal -- which has given the waterlogging a free hand to march on and damage the cotton crops.

Farmers said they were happy over the bumper cotton yield and its attractive rate for the first time after 2010 in Muzaffargarh. In the last month, waterlogging hit thousands of cotton farms, which farmers said due to excessive rain.

Farmers said this time, pest control was also better as most of them did not use more than three sprays. Farmers demanded that Scarp tubewells be made functional again, especially in those areas where waterlogging was reemerging.

Malik Abid Hussain, Ramzan Chatta, and Latif, farmers of different union councils of Muzaffargarh, claimed the rainwater generated the waterlogging.

The Muzaffargarh Canal irrigates to 800,000 acres while the TP-Link canal carries water from the Head Taunsa Barrage and drops water in the River Chenab. It is 25 feet above the ground level and has been the biggest source of waterlogging on either side of the water channel.

Once the government closed Scarp tubewells, their infrastructure has disappeared. Despite the dismantling of the tubewells, hundreds of tubewell operators are taking salaries from the Scarp department. The Scarp department established more than 450 tubewells along the banks of canals of four districts back in the 1960s mainly to pull water from the ground and throw them into drains called sem nullahs.

The executive engineer of irrigation Scarp said that most of the tubewells had been stolen while the one still intact needed repair. He said the department had no funds for the scheme. He said he sent the report to the secretary of irrigation.

Agriculture Deputy Director Dr Shaukat Ali Abid said this time, cotton was cultivated on 400,000 acres which was more than the target. He said despite waterlogging, cotton crop targets would be achieved.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2020