THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover since 2021, is a matter of serious concern. It is likely to hit the next wheat harvest hard — a staple food crop already under stress owing to bad policies. Wheat output fell to 27.5 million tonnes against a 29.7m target and 32m consumption last season, requiring imports. Now farmers face less water. The shortage is not simply a consequence of poor rainfall or hydrology. Water management decisions have also contributed to it. According to a report in this paper, more than 1MAF of water that........

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