Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hossam Maghazy was criticized by rice farmers in front of the Japanese ambassador in Kafr el-Sheikh at a conference on Sunday. The farmers were expressing their concerns regarding the fines that were imposed on them for allegedly violating irrigation rules.
The rice fields are irrigated with sewage water because farmers cannot find clean water sources.This, they say, has resulted in many people falling ill.
Maghazy admitted that the Kushner canal, which is the main source of water in Gharbiya, is the most polluted in Egypt, but he pointed to an Egyptian-Japanese project that will reduce water pollution.
The minister added at the conference that the government listens to problems and works on finding solutions.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
