SANGHAR, Feb 19: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Wednesday pledged to provide Rs10 billion to the Sindh government for improvement and rehabilitation of the province’s irrigation system.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Chhotiari reservoir by raising the gates at the New Makhi Weir and releasing water from the reservoir to the realigned Lower Nara Canal, 25 kilometres from here.

Prime Minister Jamali also announced to re-launch the Sehwan Barrage Project besides calling for expediting other projects in Sindh, including the Right Bank Outfall Drain Project o boost agricultural production in the province.

Later, while commenting on demands raised by the Sindh Chief Minister, Sardar Ali Mohammed Khan Mahar, Prime Minister Jamali said that all out efforts would be made to resolve the grievances of the province.

The prime minister promised to install 100 tubewells for the elimination of water-logging and salinity from the Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts besides promising electrification of 100 villages in the two districts during the next fiscal year.

He also said that the second phase of Chhotiari Reservoir would soon be completed.

Mr Jamali also promised to provide a water filtration plant for Sanghar and 100 tubewells to lowers the level of underground water here.

The prime minister said that it had taken nine years for the construction of the reservoir, four years more than envisioned in the original plan, because of changes of governments.

The prime minister criticized those, who, according to him, had initially welcomed Gen Pervez Musharraf when he had taken over power.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar said that the Chhotiari Reservoir would provide irrigation water to 290,000 acres in the Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts.

He said that the total arable area in Sindh was over 35.2 million acres but only 18 million acres could be cultivated.

Mr Mahar said that the agriculture in Sindh was being hampered by shortage of water, silting of dams in the North, and salinity.

Stressing on the need to develop water resources for the province, the chief minister said that much effort was needed to fulfil the country’s food demand.

Emphasizing on the need to take strict action against water theft, he said provision of water to the growers at the tail-ends of the waterways should be ensured, adding that this was the only way to bring more land under cultivation.

He expressed the hope that Sanghar and Mirpurkhas districts would now receive more irrigation water during the Rabi season.

He said Rs12.9 million had been paid to the people affected by the Chhotiari Reservoir.

Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, federal minister for water and power, said that additional water, equalling the capacity of the Mangla Dam, would be available to growers in Sindh after the completion of the Reni and Kachhi canals, the Mirani and Gomal dams and raising of embankments of the Mangla Dam.

These projects, he said would cost around Rs150 billion.

The district Nazim, Roshan Din Junejo, demanded of the government to realign the Lower Nara Canal, saying if it was not done there would be no benefit of the Chhotiari reservoir.

He also called for provision of Rs500 million for reconstruction of roads damaged during the reservoir’s construction.

Mr Junejo also demanded compensation for 327 families affected by the reservoir besides calling for 10 percent of the income from the oil and gas exploration companies, drilling in this district.

The total cost of the project is Rs2.826 billion.

The federal ministers, Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi and Khalid Ahmed Khan Lund, provincial minister for irrigation Pir Sadaruddin Rashidi and the chairman of the Wapda, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Zulfiqar Ali Khan, were also present on the occasion.