Breach in Swat canal disrupts water supply in Mardan, Swabi

PESHAWAR: Farmers of Mardan and Swabi district have complained of a major breach in the Machi Branch of Upper Swat Canal and demanded Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to take its note and save their crops from wasting.

The Machi branch of Upper Swat irrigates the fertile lands in Malakand, Mardan and Swabi districts.

“A major breach occurred in the canal near Kharki village of Mardan district in the morning of June 18, 2021. As a consequence of the breach in the canal, water supply in the main canal has been discontinued, resulting in huge losses to the standing crops of tobacco, sugarcane, maize, orchards and vegetables, etc,” said one of the local farmers on Friday, seeking immediate attention of the chief minister as he is holding portfolio of the irrigation department, besides chief executive of the province.

Also, the farmers complained that people in several places had started stealing water from the upper Swat canal, making it difficult for the farmers of downtowns to get water for their crops.

It is heartening to note that the high-ups of the provincial irrigation department of KP, including chief engineer (north) and other experts have reached the breached location and are actively engaged in the repair works of the canal on war-footing basis.

Also, the farmers concerned are highly perturbed over the incidence and worried about their cash crops.

Since it is very critical time of irrigating the standing crops in the command area of the canal in the prevailing scorching hot weather, there is a dire need of repairing the breach in Machi branch of Upper Swat Canal expeditiously so as to save the affected farmers from huge financial distress in this critical time.