LAHORE, Oct 19: Representatives of farmers' associations from all over the province have agreed to ensure timely sowing of wheat on maximum area.

Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, they called the water regulation plan prepared by the agriculture and irrigation departments for 2004-05 rabi season satisfactory.

Punjab Water Council President Chaudhry Hamid Malhi, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Farooq Bajwa, Farhatullah Khan, Dr Zafar Haider, Ghulam Muhammad Tiwana, Farmers Associates Pakistan's Aafaq Tiwana, A. Wahid Sindhu, Rabia Sultan, Kissan Board Pakistan President Sadiq Khan Khakwani, secretary-general Ibrahim Mughal and Aiwan-i-Zaraat Punjab's Chaudhry Amir Chatha were prominent among the participants.

Irrigation minister Aamir Sultan Cheema said the water situation was improving. A comprehensive management plan for canal would be chalked out to meet any water scarcity in the rabi season.

Agriculture minister Arshad Khan Lodhi urged the farmers to complete wheat sowing by Nov 30.

The meeting agreed to ask the Water and Power Development Authority to exempt the agriculture tubewells from power loadshedding.