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Farmers asked to apply modern irrigation methods
ISLAMABAD (January 22 2003) : In order to confront existing water shortage, farmers should carefully apply efficient and modern methods of irrigation to achieve maximum advantages from minimum amount of water.
This was stated by Chairman, Pakistan Council of Research for Water Resources, Mohammad Akram while speaking in a PTV programme.
Last year, the country confronted water shortage of about 51%, he said adding this year due to comparatively better rains, about 40% water shortage is expected.
Keeping in view the water condition of the country, water intensive crops should not be cultivated and only upgraded varieties should be sown.
Besides this required amount of water should carefully be used.
He said, unluckily the country once again witnessed a shortage in rainfall in the winter season.
However, he said, the drought-like phenomenon hitting the country for the last two-three years was positively improved due to better rains in the summer season which improved the condition of water reservoirs.
Responding to a question, he said, shortage of water has emerged as a serious problem.
Realising the need of more reservoirs, the government has initiated a number of mega and small projects in this connection, he added.
He said, the government is trying to ensure provision of water to the tail agricultural fields.
To another question he said, the project of raising of Mangla dam will dilute country's water storage problem, which has severely affected agriculture sector in the recent past.
Deficiency in snowfall and rains also affects the quantity and quality of underground water, he said.
All resources of water were under stress as the catchment areas of our two mega water reservoirs had not received sufficient rains and snowfall in previous two-three years.
He further said, "We are advocating the farmers that available quantity of water should be used in a better and sufficient way."
Mohammad Akram said conventional wasteful watering methods should now be abandoned as through these ways about 45 to 50% amount of water goes waste.
Elaborating further, he said, after proper treatment, huge amount of sewerage water of big cities can be used again for watering of plants and other agricultural fields. He said, "We are actively working on this project".
Another project of rain water harvesting is also under consideration. Through this way underground water sources can easily be recharged.
In last two-three years, number of tubewells have been doubled.
The increasing use of underground water because of reduction in the availability of surface or ground water strikes its quality as well as underground water level position, he said.
He informed various methods are being evolved to recharge the underground water.
Courtesy Business Recorder
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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