Farmers in Katlang complain of insufficient irrigation water

PESHAWAR: The farmers in Sharqi Baizi of Katlang subdivision in rural Mardan have complained of insufficient irritation water for kharif crop due to a recent plan of the authorities to ensure water supply to a small hydro power plant built on Machi branch of upper Swat canal in Qasami village.

The farmers complained that they had delayed cultivating kharif crop due to lack of water in the canal.

A local agriculturalist, Haji Khan Daraz, said the Shamozai distributary of Machi branch, upper Swat canal, had been established for irrigating land in several villages including Tazagram, Qasami, Alo, Lakpani, Dheri, Shamozai and Matta in rural Mardan.

Mostly sugarcane, wheat, maize and vegetables are grown in rural Mardan. He said the distributary supplied irrigation water to the land in these villages without any problem.

It merits a mention that a hydro-power plant with an installed capacity of 2.6 megawatts has been established by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Machi branch of upper Swat canal at Qasami village which has disrupted water supply in Shamozai distributary.

According to farmers, as a consequence therefore, both the Rabi and Kharif crops produce has been severely affected to the detriments of poor farmers of the area. Agriculture is the sole source of livelihood for the people.