CM urged to introduce reforms in agriculture, irrigation depts
By Our Staff Correspondent
2016-08-01
HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over water shortage in the tailend areasof Rohri andNaseer canals, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has urged Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to restructure the agriculture department.
In it s meeting held here on Sunday presided over by Dr Syed Nadeem Qamar through video link, it urgedthe newly-appointed CM to introduce reforms in the irrigation and agriculture departments.
The meeting appealed to the CM to rid the agriculture department of black sheep and ensure availability of water in the tail-end areas. Junior officers who were holding senior positions should be removed, it said.
The meeting expressed surprise over the fact that 100,000 cusecs of water is being released downstream Kotri barrage, but the canal systemdownstream Rohri canal, that emanates from Sukkur barrage, is witnessing water shortage.
The meeting said Rohri canal`s subdivisions, including Tando Mohammad Khan, Sanjar Chang, Naseer and other distributaries, were witnessing serious water shortage. The shortage caused economic losses to farmers who had cultivated cotton and other crops, it said.
The meeting congratulated newly-appointed CM Syed MuradAli Shah and said he was fully aware of the performance of the irrigation department. Now being the chief executive of the province, he should play his role in bringing about reforms in these two departments to produce better results in agro-economy,it said.
The meeting said he (Murad Ali Shah) had played his role previously to protect the rights of Sindh when the federal government mistreated Sindh over the issues of NFC and water.It said that now when he himself was the CM, he was burdened with this task. The people of Sindh hoped that he would bring about revolution in the agriculture sector, it added.
It said 70 per cent population was dependent on agriculture, therefore, due attention should be given to improving performance of the irrigation and agriculture departments. It said the government should make the two departments people-friendly by introducing reforms.
