HYDERABAD: Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) which met here on Thursday has decided to stage protest rally in Tando Mohammad Khan on April 18 against corporate farming and diversion of Indus river water.

The meeting was chaired by SAI president Nawab Zubair Talpur. It was decided that token hunger strike would be observed outside local press club on May 4 outside Hyderabad Press Club. The meeting demanded of Sindh government to ban cultivation of rice in perennial canals` command area. The meeting noted that wheat crop price was inadequate being offered in market and it was tantamount to economic murder of farmers. It called or fixing Rs4,500 wheat support price by provincial government.

The meeting observed that Punjab government had announced that cotton cultivation in first phase had been reported on 800,000 in Punjab and cotton sowing would be completed by April 30. The meeting noted with concern that while cotton sowing in Punjab would be completed by close of this month and in Sindh cotton sowing was not done even on 10pc area of total acreage.

It said it was in spite of the fact that cotton sowing begins in Sindh earlier than Punjab due to climatic conditions. It said that Punjab government had allowed rice crop cultivation twice a year in in the province besides its illegal early sowing which was condemnable.

It said Karachi`s water needs were increased from 600 cusecs per day to 900 cusecs but that too was insufficient for port city. It said Sindh irrigation needs 1,200 cusecs for provincial capital in view of K-IV project but this demand was turned down by Irsa.