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Wrong policies behind flawed irrigation system

By: Ramzan Chandio
KARACHI - Despite spending billions of rupees on the uplift projects of water sector, yet no change is visible on surface due to wrong policies of governments to appease their political circle and feudal lords.
The water experts and farmers while talking to The Nation said that elected rulers of the province initiated uplift projects of Irrigations Sector on political basis, which did not bring any positive change for the promotion of the sector.
They also remarked that Rs4.891 billions allocated for the water sector projects for FY2009-10 would not yield any real change until the complete shift of the government to run Irrigation Department without favouring certain areas and persons. 
Besides injustices of upper riparian, the Sindh is also facing injudicious distribution of irrigation water in the province itself as upper riparian take more water than actual share enshrined in the system, water experts said. 
The PPP led Sindh government has enhanced the allocation to Rs4.891 billions for water sector in FY2009-10. Besides ongoing 68 schemes, the government has initiated 60 new schemes in water sector, for which Rs1.413 billions have been allocated in the present financial year.
Furthermore, the budget documents disclose that an amount of Rs200 million has been reserved which is to be spent on the special directives of Chief Minister for water sector projects. 
Abdul Majeed Nizamani, President Sindh Abadgar Board, while talking to The Nation, criticised on provision of special allocation of funds and said that every ruler in name of his special powers, issued direct outlets of small canals to feudal lords on political basis, resulting in decline of water share of other areas.