Farm scientists have expressed concern over the acute shortage of water and ever increasing menace of water-logging and salinity in Sindh and stressed the need for optimum and judicious use of irrigation water.
They were speaking at a seminar organised by the land and water management department, engineering faculty, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, on Sunday. The topic of the seminar was "Judicious use of water for agriculture purpose."
They said that the shortage of irrigation water was acute in Nawabshah, Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan and Tharparkar.
In his presidential speech, vice-chancellor of the university Dr Bashir Ahmed Shaikh said that due to the injudicious distribution of irrigation water, the agriculture sector of Sindh was suffering huge losses. He said that because of feudal lords, the situation in the province had further aggravated as the 'waderas' take away more water than their share.
He said corruption was also prevalent in the irrigation department and proposed that the distribution of water should be handed over to agriculture department. Dr Shaikh further said that the agriculture extension department must make arrangements to create awakening among the growers to use the latest technology and research.
He said that the entire effluent was being drained out towards Sindh. This, he said has seriously affected the underground water. He lamented that 60 percent of irrigation water was going waste in the country.
The VC announced that the Farm Advisory Cell would start functioning in the university within the next few days, which will conduct soil research within 25 kilometres around the university.
A progressive grower and a member of the university syndicate, Mir Rafiq Ahmed Talpur urged the agriculture scientists to impart training to the growers about the latest methods of agriculture at 'deh' level. He said, all the agriculture departments and university specialists should jointly undertake this exercise.
He said, due to the absence of true leadership, the agrarian economy was being destroyed and added that the irrigation department was an active partner in this destruction.
SERIOUS SITUATION: The director, Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Mazhar Hussain Naqvi, said that the situation in Nawabshah, Sanghar and Tharparkar was extremely serious as the underground water level was decreasing with each passing day. He pointed out that with the assistance of World Bank his institute was conducting research on the prevailing state of affairs.
He advised that eucalyptus and poplar trees should not be planted in those areas, which have not been affected by water-logging or salinity. He said, out of 21 hectares of land, seven million acres have been affected with salinity.
Speaking on the occasion, irrigation expert Dr Nisar Ahmed Memon painted a very gloomy picture about the increase in population and said that by 2013, food requirement would increase up to 49 million metric tons. He opined that those zamindars, who owned more than 50 acres of land, should appoint agriculture graduates as farm managers to ensure correct use of water and also deal with other problems relating to agriculture.
Allah Dino Kango spoke on the negative impact of the LBOD and the destruction of coastal area due to non-release of water downstream Kotri. He said, "The intrusion of seawater is also affecting Tando Mohammad Khan."
Others who spoke on the occasion included professor Dr Bakhshal Khan Leghari of Mehran University, Mohammad Khan Mari, Dr Saleh Soomro, Riasat Ali and others.
POISONOUS WATER: Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has demanded of the government to stop the inflow of poisonous water of Punjab into LBOD as the rich agricultural lands of Sindh were being rendered barren due to water-logging and salinity.
A meeting of the Chamber held here on Sunday, observed that due to the defective design of LBOD, seawater was gushing into this drain.
Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah presided over the meeting. The meeting noted that due to the poisonous water of LBOD, rich farm lands of Ghotki district have been destroyed and added that if the inflow of effluent from Punjab was not stopped, the other districts will also be seriously affected.
The meeting adopted a resolution calling upon the government to carry out lining of canals and channels before the lining of watercourses.
It appointed a sub-committee, which will visit LBOD and RBOD and identify spots from where poisonous water of Punjab and Balochistan was being released into Sindh.
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