Growers express concern over potential changes to 1991 water agreement

HYDERABAD: The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) has voiced concerns over the proposed amendment to the 1991 water agreement and the potential expansion of corporate farming across the country.

With Sindh already grappling with a severe water shortage, growers are questioning where additional water will come from to irrigate the newly cultivated lands.The monthly meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Ittehad, held at the residence of Nawab Zubair Talpar, was attended by Muhammad Javed Riyar, Muhammad Anwar, Abdul Rahim Daras, Abdul Haq Zanwar, Pir Ashfaq Jan Sarhandi, Muhammad Sharif Nizamani, Muhib Marri, and other members.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that media reports have been discussing the fertilization of barren lands through corporate farming and the allocation of land for this purpose nationwide. This has raised concerns among Sindh’s farmers and growers about the availability of water for such projects. They fear that Sindh will face even greater water shortages as a result.The growers also expressed regret over the federal government’s plan to construct six canals on the Indus River system, arguing that such a scheme would be detrimental to Sindh.

They voiced dissatisfaction over the lack of canal water reaching the tail areas of Sindh and rejected any amendments to the IRSA 1991 agreement, asserting that these changes would disadvantage Sindh. They also criticized the federal government’s imposition of agriculture taxes, warning that such taxes, which are already being collected by the Sindh government, could destabilize the agricultural sector if increased.

The growers called for a fixed price of 8,500 per maund for cotton and 500 per maund for sugarcane. Additionally, they demanded an investigation into the crack in the Rohri Canal at Tando Adam, and called for accountability regarding the serious negligence and corruption within the irrigation department, as well as compensation for the losses incurred by farmers.