Untimely canal rehabilitation endangers chilli crops

An untimely rehabilitation of the irrigation canals by the Sindh government would badly affect the chilli crop, which may create the shortage of this commodity in the market and would raise its prices. While the growers are rolling up their sleeves to cultivate the chilli crop during the two-month season of March and April, the Sindh government is all set to initiate earthwork from March 15 at Nabisar Canal, the only source of irrigation for the crop.
According to official sources in Irrigation and Power Department the closure of Nabisar Canal, which irrigates Naukot, Kunri, Umerkot and Khipro, would directly affect the growers who solely depend on chilli crop for their livelihood. The office at Nara Canal had announced to close the canal for at least one month, without arranging any substitute for the supply of water, they added.
They said the closure of the canal would leave the tail-end fields, where an acute water shortage has been a permanent source of trouble for the growers, almost barren and would ultimately add to the miseries of poor farmers. However, the most suitable time for undertaking rehabilitation work of the canal was December-January when the provincial authorities had announced a water rotation programme for tail-end growers, they opined.
When contacted Chairman Kunri Mirch Mandi, Mian Saleem, criticised the governments move by saying that unrest was prevailing among the growers. All arrangements were finalised to sow the chili crop. However, the closure of Nabisar Canal had compelled the growers to switch over to other crop.
Ironically, Saleem quoted the Director Nara Canal as justifying the governments decision to undertake rehabilitation of the canal as the provincial government had released funds for the job. "The growers of tail-end areas have been facing paucity of water and the earthwork at the time of sowing of chilli crop is sheer injustice with them", he added.
He alleged that the irrigation officials were carrying out the rehabilitation work of the canal "just to pocket the money". There was also water shortage last year, but the rains had helped the growers to cultivate bumper chilli crop, he said. He urged the government to take notice of the situation and ensure supply of water to the growers so that they could grow the most essential commodity.