Suspension of water supply imperils crops

Frustrated farmers protest ‘apathy’ of authorities concerned

HARIPUR:

The supply of water to hundreds of acres of agricultural land and gardens in Khanpur from a canal originating from the Khanpur Dam has been abruptly halted, raising concerns about the impending impact on crops in the region.

Local farmers have voiced concerns over the sudden suspension of water, which has put hundreds of acres of wheat crops in jeopardy.

According to locals, they have informed authorities concerned about the pressing issue but no steps have been made to address their concerns.

Sources said the supply of water has been suspended as the water channel in question has been washed away.

Also read: Six days and no end in sight to Karachi’s water crisis

On the other hand, a delegation of farmers from various villages, including Bija Katha, Khanpur, Keed Bebat, Tartada, Chani Dobandi, Mohar, Sardar Beg, Kotha, Pind Gahkaro, Garhi Syedan, Bhera, and neighbouring areas, spoke to the media about the crisis. They emphasised that the absence of water supply is having a detrimental impact on the cultivation of wheat across hundreds of acres of land.

The overflow from the Khanpur Dam is being wasted, they said. “Despite making appeals to officials of the irrigation department and the assistant commissioner of Khanpur, no steps have been taken at the official level to repair the canal.” They further said if the water supply is not restored within a few days, the fertile land and valuable gardens in the area are at risk of devastation, for which the blame will rest squarely on the officials concerned.

CNG stations shut

All CNG stations in the Hazara division shut down on Thursday in response to a call of protest from the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Stations Association as a result of a 200 per cent hike in gas prices.

The association made the collective decision to suspend operations at all CNG stations throughout the province to convey their apprehensions regarding the substantial price increase, foreseeing adverse repercussions on their enterprises and the sustenance of numerous families.

In the three districts of the Hazara division including Haripur, Mansehra, and Abbottabad, approximately 70 per cent of public transport and other vehicles rely on CNG as a fuel source.

With additional input from APP

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2023.