QUETTA: The Kissan Ittehad Pakistan (KIP) Chairman, Khalid Hussain Bathh, strongly criticised the provincial government for failing to release funds promised to farmers of Nasirabad Division for the conversion of agricultural tube wells to solar energy. In this sense, Bathh said that Nasirabad considered the only green belt of Balochistan was facing a severe agricultural crisis due to non-functional tube wells.
He further added that the disconnection of electricity supply has left thousands of acres of farmland without irrigation, resulting in crops withering in the fields and farmers enduring major financial setbacks.
In this regard, he noted that although the provincial authorities had pledged support for the solarisation of tube wells, the approved funds had not yet been released.
Furthermore, Bathh said that with no water flowing in the Rabi Canal, the impact was being felt not only on agriculture but also on livestock and local communities. Meanwhile, Bath argued for a solar energy programme for farmers in Rabi Canal, Nari, and Bolan areas.
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He pointed out that many farmers were currently relying on costly diesel generators to irrigate their lands, which was not a sustainable option given the rising costs of fuel.
