After having lost his house and standing crops in flash floods, the 24-year progressive farmer from Nowshera district Malayar Khan is worried regarding preparations of his agricultural land for upcoming wheat sowing season and how to water the crop due to destruction of water channels and canals. Belonging to flood hit Mohib Banda directly located on River Kabul, Malayar was regularly visiting his hometown canal originating from Bara River to check water’s availability after it was badly damaged by the August 28 floods.
“The wheat sowing season was about to start in our area and there was no water in our hometown canal due to destruction caused by flash floods,” he said, adding farmers besides agriculture production would adversely affect if canals were not restored on priority in KP’s flood hit areas. Beside repairing of damaged canals and watercourses, he said leveling of agriculture land in flood affected areas including Mohib Banda, Pasthun Ghari and Banda Sheikh Ismail near river Kabul was also a big challenge in post-flood situation and substantial financial resources were required to help flood affected farmers, gardeners and livestock owners.
Like Malayar Khan, the farmers of Mohib Banda and adjoining villages of Nowshera and Charsadda districts were worried about preparations of their lands for wheat’s sowing in the wake of damaged canal system and urged the government to reconstruct the water courses, canals and irrigation channels at earliest to facilitate wheat growers. KP irrigation department’s official told APP that the August 28 devastated floods started from Mataltan, Mahudhand and Kalam valleys in Upper Swat had brought havoc to irrigation sector especially canals, watercourses, channels, tubewells and flood protection walls, adding that the reconstruction process required huge financial resources and time.—APP
