Power outage: Crops go bad from load-shedding

Farmers said lands irrigated through Dadu Canal are getting water, those linked to Rice Canal get water via tube-well.

RATODERO:

Several crops have been affected due to the prolonged electricity load-shedding to tube wells in Larkana district. Standing and sown crops have suffered the most as the tube wells remain turned off in several areas.

The crops are not receiving the required amount of water, which could result in low production and loss to the farmers and growers. The villagers of Chooharpur, Mahotta, Kehar and others complained that  they are unable to water their fields. The crops are getting dry day by day.

They said that in this season only Dadu Canal is flowing, while Rice Canal flow remains at its bottom. The farmers said the lands irrigated through Dadu Canal are getting water while those linked to Rice Canal get water through tube-wells.

Peasants Irshad Ali, Ghanwhar Khan and Shamshad Ali Shahani said that in previous years, the government managed to provide uninterrupted power supply through tube-wells but this government has completely ignored agriculture.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2014.