BADIN: The officials of irrigation department and Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority on Friday dismantled watercourses that irrigated land of Mir Noor Ahmed Talpur, chief of Save Badin Action Committee, which was struggling against erection of blockages in Phuleli Canal, believed to be major cause of nagging water shortage in the district.

Mr Talpur told local journalists that Sida officials had targeted his watercourses to punish him for raising voice against illegal blockages in Phuleli at three points, which diverted water flows to influential persons’ lands that fell within command area of Sukkur Barrage.

He alleged that officials of Sida and irrigation department dismantled modules of watercourses at RD-82 of Sultani Wah near Rajo Khanani town on the pretext of flawed design.

He said that such tactics would not deter him from struggling for “just distribution of water” in the district and claimed that he possessed all legal documents of his watercourses and would challenge the action in court of law.

Khalil Ahmed Bhurgari, Azizullah Dero, Mir Ghulam Rasool Talpur and other leaders of the committee condemned the Sida action and warned the officials to mend their ways.

They said that if such actions did not stop and water was not supplied into canals and outlets they would issue call for shutdown in all big and small towns of the district from March 20 to register protest.

They said that on the one hand Sida officials had completely failed to supply water even for drinking in several parts of the district while on the other they were dismantling watercourses of those who had been struggling for due share of district in water.

Qabool Mohammad Khatian, chairman of the area water board, rejected claims of Mr Talpur and other leaders of the committee and said that operation against illegal watercourses was being launched under court orders. All illegal watercourses and pipes would be removed without any discrimination, he warned.

Sustainable programmes needed for Thar

MITHI: Elected representatives, officials of government, Thar Foundation and Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) on Friday called for implementing sustainable action programmes and schemes in Tharparkar to address human development problems and permanently end sufferings of Thar.

They were of the view that sustainable schemes for bio-saline agriculture and fodder and promotion of livestock as a formal industry would pave the way for uplifting human development indicators of Tharparkar.

They were speaking at concluding ceremony of Thar Fodder Distribution Project (TFDP) phase-I jointly completed by Thar Foundation and livestock and fisheries department.

PPP MNA Dr Mahesh Malani said that since Thar had become a resource-rich area and would contribute to national economy, policymakers should come up with sustainable programmes and schemes in agriculture and livestock sectors.

Secretary Aijaz Mahesar said that Thar had great potential to grow as a hub of livestock industry for which regular sustainable interventions were required.

“We have successfully implemented a model under TFDP and Desert Fisheries Programme in collaboration with Thar Foundation under which we’ve also released 200,000 fish seeds into the Gorano reservoir,” he added.

SECMC CEO Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi said the coal-rich people of Thar should not demand schemes in return for successful coal and energy projects; rather it was responsibility of the companies to run social uplift programmes.

He said that they were considering numerous sustainable schemes after government disbursed coal royalty to Thar Foundation later this year.

District Council Chairman Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo said that like the people getting benefits from nearby coal and energy projects, similar schemes for the rest of Thar might also be introduced and implemented by Thar Foundation.

SECMC site operations director Syed Murtaza Azher Rizvi and general manager Thar Foundation Naseer Memon told the ceremony that 21,650 households benefited from TFDP phase-I in six union councils of the district.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2020