Growers in provincial metropolis have complained the poor and faulty condition of watercourses and century-old improper distribution system from centralised irrigation channel (Sarband canal) was making difficulties to irrigate their cultivable lands in absence of adequate quantity of water in the area.
The farmers at suburbs villages of Peshawar blamed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa irrigation department negligence has not only created water scarcity for agriculture lands, but also cause enmity among growers over the distribution of water. “We had raised the improper distribution of water with officials of irrigation department, but no avail”, said Aziz Khan a 50 year-old small farmer hailing from Landi Yarghajo (Arbab) suburbs village of Peshawar. He informed that water to agriculture lands were supplied from four to five kilometres nearby Sarband Canal.
The government needs to take steps for resolution of farmers’ problems of suburbs villages of provincial metropolis, because it was closed supply for nearby market, which can provide vegetables to consumers at low prices. Khan said that the water flow was faded due to dilapidated condition of watercourses, while the suspension of water supply from the lift canal by the irrigation department without any prior notice on pretext electricity load shedding and shortage of diesel and other reasons. “The growers are facing enormous difficulties to irrigate their cultivable lands in the prevailing conditions”, Khan added.
The Sarband canal is the only water-channel to fulfil the requirements of around a huge populated of four main villages, including Landi Akhund Ahmad, Garhi Sikandar Khan, Landi Arbab and Achar. People of these villages, depends totally on rain water for agriculture, Khan informed.
The farmers demanded of the authority concerned for sufficient supply of water without any blockage and prior intimation about it. “The government should give subsidy of fertiliser, pesticide, and agriculture outputs, while also assisting them with financial and technical support as well, they demanded. When this scribe tried to get version of relevant officials in provincial irrigation department, but was failed to take comments after several attempts.
