LARKANA:Wheat crop in Sindh is likely to suffer very seriously due to acute water scarcity after losses of Kharif season. The growers who underwent huge losses due to their inability to sow paddy crop for acute water shortage have opined that they will also be deprived of sowing wheat crop during Rabbi Season but there seems nobody to rescue them. Sindh Government seems to be busy in saving itself from JIT report recently submitted in the apex court than focusing on major issues confronted by the poor.
In Northern Sindh areas including Dadu, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana districts and other areas growers are facing troubles after sowing wheat seed as barrage water has become a rare commodity. In some areas availability of water has even become very difficult before sowing of wheat crop and according to farmers 3 to 4 time water is to be given after sowing the crop.
Many of the peasants who have already scattered wheat seed are still awaiting water. Many of the growers have decided to sow other crops such as mustard seed instead of wheat due to water scarcity. On inquiry it was learnt that 13,860 cusecs water was flowing at Sukkur Barrage in Indus River whereas downstream water was completely closed. According to irrigation officers who claimed that 9ft water is being released into North West Canal and 9.3ft into Dadu Canal.
Incharge Sukkur Barrage Abdul Ghani Soomro told reporters here on Friday that shortage of water is being faced from upside. He said according to IRSA 32% water shortage is in Sindh at the moment. He said water will be completely closed from January 06 from Sukkur barrage for 15 days and it will be restored on January 21. He said IRSA has further informed that water shortage will reach 40% till February in Sindh.
Meanwhile, irrigation drains have become dry due to no availability of irrigation water so the drinking water has also become unavailable in some areas. Growers, tillers and common man have urged the Sindh Government to take immediate steps to end water shortage.
Gada Hussain Mahesar, central leader of Sindh Abadgar Board, said that wheat crop is sown on five to six lakh acres in Sindh and if water shortage persists then it is feared that growers and farmers will face 50 and losses. He said the prevailing situation is that there is no water in the water courses not to talk of drains hence wheat production has become very difficult. He said 25 kg wheat seed has been procured by growers at Rs 2400 which is very costly but even then they purchased on the hope that after harvesting crop they will be able to meet the expenses but they were unaware that they will also face serious water crisis.
He said the growers have already faced losses in rice crop and they will again face similar situation in wheat crop. He said it astonishes that in all these circumstances, Sindh Government, agricultural and Irrigation departments are nowhere to come out to help the poor farmers. He said farmers and growers have become destitute so with broken heart they cannot even appeal to anyone to come out and help them. However, it was learnt that 500 cusecs water was being given to Balochistan through Khirthar Canal to meet its total needs.