Farmers demand rehab of Shamozai distributary of Machi branch, Swat

PESHAWAR: The farmers in Mardan district have demanded the government to provide them irrigation water from the Shamozai distributary of Machi branch, Upper Swat Canal so they can irrigate their cash crops.

The government had spent a huge amount and established a separate water canal for irrigating 7000 acres of certain villages including Tazagram, Qasami, Alo , Lakpani, Dheri, Shamozai, Matta, etc.

Main crops grown are sugarcane, wheat, maize, vegetables and orchards. The distributary supplies irrigation water to the land of aforementioned villages of the area without any problem to the land owners.

A private hydro-power plant has been established at village Tazagram, opposite the Shamozai Distributary Head Regulator. As a consequence thereof, both the Rabi and Kharif crops production has been severely affected to the detriments of poor farmers of the area.

Needless to mention that the canal system had been made for the irrigation purpose and not for power generation. Also, agriculture is the sole source of livelihood for the people of the area.

At the request of farmers of the affected villages, Chief Engineer (North), Irrigation, accompanied by S.E. irrigation Mardan and XEN Irrigation, Malakand, visited the site on Feb 9, 2021.

They were fully apprised of the woes of the farmers of the area. The Irrigation high-ups listened to their problems patiently and promised to resolve the issue expeditiously.

“In view of the above, the provincial government is humbly requested to look into the matter and resolve the problem by rehabilitating the Shamozai distributary so as to ensure regular/un-interrupted water supply in it and save the poor farmers from financial distress,” said a noted farmer of Ghundo village in Katlang subdivision.