‘Irrigation water supply cut hits rice crop’

CM's adviser says decline in crop yield to hit national economy

KARACHI:

Sindh Minister for Irrigation department, Jam Khan Shoro has said that Sindh Irrigation department is has decided to send a letter to officers concerned of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) in the protest of drastic reduction of water discharge at downstream Chashma Barrage.

CM's Adviser on Irrigation Manzoor Wasan further said decline in farm output will affect not only the growers but the national economy too.

He said that despite the objections of Sindh and Balochistan, Indus River System Authority (IRSA) reduced the share of water for Sindh, adding that the reduction of 30,000 cubic feet per seconds (cusecs) of water in Sindh by IRSA was an anti-farmers decision.

Wassan said that Sindh is facing severe shortage of agricultural water at the moment, the federal government should stop looting, it is still supplying more water to Punjab than its share and Sindh's water is being reduced, due to which Sindh not getting its share of water, The agricultural lands of the province are becoming barren.

Adviser for agriculture said that standing crops of rice, cotton, sugarcane and tomato were being destroyed due to lack of water. Farmers in Sindh are protesting against the PTI government due to lack of water. IRSA has reduced discharge of water from Chashma Barrage from 170,000 cusecs to 140,000 cusecs further cutting down the flow of water downstream from Sukkur Barrage. "Rice cultivation in Sindh was delayed due to IRSA's inflexibility over timely and justified rlease of water to the lower riparian province," he said.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan should explain why Sindh is not getting its portion of water. The shortage of irrigation water is affecting the farmers of Sindh and the subsequent decline in the yield of crops is having a negative impact on the national economy, Wassan said. He said it seems that Imran does not consider Sindh his province, because it does not have a PTI government. Whereas, Wassan said, the PM should relaise that by all means Sindh is part of the federation, though not of the federal government.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2021.