DERA MURAD JAMALI: Landowners in Usta Muhammad and other areas of Balochistan have expressed fear that their standing crops may be destroyed due to reduced water supply from Sindh.
Balochistan, an arid region with no major river running through it, depends on the supply of the Indus River to irrigate the land in many areas.
The Kirthar Canal, the main watercourse connecting the two provinces, was facing severe water shortage from Sindh due to a sharp drop in water level at the source point – Sukkur Dam.
Canal executive engineer Mehrullah Ansari said water supply from Sukkur dam to the canal has been severely affected due to a sudden drop in the pond level in the dam.
The pond level is the level of water necessary to feed the channels originating from a dam. According to Sindh Irrigation Department, the pond level (working maximum) of Sukkur Barrage is 198.6RL.
According to Ansari, the Sindh Irrigation Department was officially notified about the problem and emergency measures were being implemented to restore water supply.
Meanwhile, Hakim Ali Jamali, spokesperson for the farmers’ association, expressed concern over the water shortage.
He stated that while water scarcity usually affects crops during the Kharif season, this was the first time such scarcity was witnessed in the Rabi season.
He accused the Sindh Irrigation Department of “deliberately trying to destroy the agriculture of Balochistan” using the level of the dam pond as an excuse.
The flow of water in Sindh’s canals was normal, Jamali claimed, and claimed that Balochistan was being “unfairly attacked”.
He warned that if the water shortage problem was not resolved in the next two to three days, millions of acres of wheat crops would be destroyed.
He urged Irrigation Secretary and Sindh Chief Minister to take immediate action and ensure water supply to Balochistan.
Published in Amanecer, January 11, 2025.
