TOBA TEK SINGH: A seminar on `Save the water` by Lok Sanjh and the District Development Committee highlighted water-related issues on Saturday.

Ghulam Muhammad Ghanjera stated the brackish groundwater of Toba Tek Singh and its tail location on both Jhang and Gogera branches of canals, had hit hard the commoners and farmers.

He demanded the review of the water policy, allocation of water allowance for the district and introduction of advanced irrigation technology to improve livelihood of farmers.

He said that safe drinking water should be provided to rural population.

Agriculture deputy director Shahid Iftikhar Bukhari said laser land leveling technology and trees plantation could help conserve water. He added that construction of water courses and canal lining also could decrease water wastage.

He also spoke about the importance of sprinkler shower spray and drip irrigation to save the water.

He said that solar panels would be provided to the farmers and that a provincial level forum had been established toaddress farmers` issues.

Awami Workers` Party district president Chaudhry Muhammad Zubair said irrigation water was right, not a commodity. He said Pakistan had no appropriate water policy and water management.

He demanded the revision of water allowance for districts, calling it discriminatory as the district with feudal lords would get more water from those districts at the tail areas of the canals.

He suggested that water share of brackish zone be increased.

Arif Qazi recommended that such seeds be introduced which required less water and lining of canals be revisited.

Tahseen Chaudhry demanded the new water policy be introduced with the consultation of farmers while Latif Jutt stressed the need to ensure appropriate water share for poor farmers in the area.

He said Toba Tel( Singh had lots of patients of hepatitis due to unsafe drinking water.

Councilor Yasmeen Akhtar, Mukhtar Ghazi and Amir Rasheed Chaudhry, Lok Sanjh Foundation`s Gulfam Dogar, Umair Ahamed, Habib Ahmed, Rehman Chaudhry, Mehwish, Shumaila and Mustafa Gujjar also spoke.