HYDERABAD, March 5: Agri-cultural scientists have expressed concern over shortage of water and the threat posed by the increasing water-logging and salinity in Sindh, and stressed the need for optimum and judicious use of water.

They were speaking at a seminar on “Judicious use of water for agriculture purpose,” organized by the land and water management department, engineering faculty, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, on Saturday.

They said there was acute shortage of water in Nawabshah, Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan and Tharparkar.

SAU vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmad Shaikh, who presided over the seminar, observed that injudicious distribution of water was causing huge losses to the Sindh agriculture sector.

He blamed feudal lords for further aggravating the situation by taking more water than their share. He said corruption was also prevalent in the irrigation department. He proposed that distribution of water should be handed over to the agriculture department.

He said the agriculture extension department should make arrangements to create awakening among growers to take advantage of the latest technology and research.

Dr Shaikh said other provinces’ effluent was being drained out towards Sindh, affecting its underground water.

He announced that a farm advisory cell would start functioning in the university within the next few days would conduct soil research within 25 kilometres around the university.

A progressive grower and member of the university syndicate, Mir Rafiq Ahmad Talpur, urged agriculture scientists to impart training to growers about latest methods in agriculture.

He said that due to the absence of true leadership, the agrarian economy was being destroyed.

He also blamed the irrigation department for destroying the sector. Nuclear Institute of Agriculture director Mazhar Hussain Naqvi said the situation in Nawabshah, Sanghar and Tharparkar was serious where the underground water level was continuously decreasing.

Irrigation expert Dr Nisar Ahmad Memon said that due to increase in population, food requirement would rise to 49 million metric tons by 2013.

He advised landlords owning more than 50 acres of land to appoint agriculture graduates as farm managers to ensure correct use of water and deal with other problems relating to agriculture.

Allah Dino Kango spoke on the negative impact of the Left Bank Outfall Drain and destruction of the coastal area due to non-release of water downstream Kotri.

Prof (Dr) Bakhshal Leghari, Mohammad Khan Mari, Dr Saleh Soomro and Riasat Ali also spoke on the occasion.