KARACHI, Sept 30: The Sindh government has approved Rs4 billion relief package for growers affected by heavy rains and floods in lower Sindh to till their fields again.

Sources in the agriculture department said on Thursday that the package comprises free distribution of seeds and urea among farmers to grow wheat and sunflo-wer in the rain-affected districts.

The package has been approved by the Sindh chief minister and the department is awaiting release of funds from the finance department.

Growers in possession of 25 acres of land would be given relief in the form of free seeds and urea for cultivating wheat and sunflower.

The package will cover cultivation on 1.5 million acres in the affected areas which include 1.1 million acres of wheat and 0.4 million acres of sunflower.

The sources said that the Australian High Commissioner who met President Zardari in Karachi recently has been requested to provide sunflower in aid which suited to the local climate and had been successfully grown in upper Sindh districts after the last year’s floods.

To a query, sources said that the irrigation department and Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) have been tasked with draining of standing water from the fields and they have committed to do the job in one-and-a-half months.

Sources said that cultivation of wheat and sunflower crops is the first priority. However, other minority crops, such as chillies, tomato and onion, would be sown after the fields are ready for sowing.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has welcomed the relief package, but said that its timely delivery and drainage of water must be ensured, otherwise economy would miss two important crops like wheat and sugarcane after the loss of cotton crop.

Wheat must be cultivated by Nov 15 and sugarcane in October to have a full size crop, he added.

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture president Dr Nadeem Qamar told Dawn that a law was on the anvil to open all natural drains in the flood affected districts which had been encroached upon by farms and illegal structures have been built.

The law would authorise the government to remove all encroachments obstructing natural drains so that in future floods excess water is drained out through these drains, which being dry for several years were occupied by people in the area to extend their fields.

Dr Nadeen urged the government to direct the ZTBL and Sindh Bank to provide loans to the affected farmers.

He said that these banks have refused loans to the affected farmers who wanted to drain water from their fields with their own resources before the government distributes free seeds and urea.