Water Logging, Salinity: Sindh bans cultivation in command areas

KARACHI: The government of Sindh has decided to impose a complete ban on cultivation of rice in the command areas of the canals of left bank of River Indus to control growing water logging and salinity. This decision was taken in a meeting held with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in the chair on Saturday. Shah said that the perennial canals off-take from Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages have a very length command area of more than 150 to 350 kilometres.  Therefore, water shortage persists at their tail end. “These canals are meant for dry kharif crops,” he said. “But cultivation of rice in the command areas of these canals have further aggravated water shortage because paddy crop requires heavy water dozes.” he said, adding that the sub-soil water level has elevated and brought water logging an salinity issues to a dangerous proportion.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2015.

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