MEN WORKING ON IRRIGATION SCHEME.




Initials JSU/VS/JF/SC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THREE HUNDRED INDIANS IN THE MESQUITAL VALLEY, MEXICO, ARE DETERMINED TO BRING WATER TO THEIR LAND - SO DETERMINED, IN FACT, THAT THEY ARE CUTTING THEIR WAY THROUGH 17 MILES (11 KMS) OF ROCK-LIKE GROUND ALMOST WITH THEIR BARE HANDS.

THE INDIANS WORKING ON THE SCHEME ARE PLANNING TO EXTEND THE NAMORA CANAL SO THAT THE SEWAGE WATERS FROM MEXICO CAN BE USED FOR IRRIGATION OF CROPS.

LOCAL PEOPLE CALL THE MESQUITAL THE VALLEY OF DEATH AND WITH GOOD REASON. APART FROM INNUMERABLE CACTI WHICH THRIVE IN THE DRY GROUND NOTHING CAN BE GROWN IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO FEED THE 400,000 INDIANS LIVING IN THE AREA.

SO FAR, WORK HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A YEAR WITH THE MEN GIVING ONE DAY A WEEK TO LABOUR ON THE PROJECT IN THE SWELTERING HEAT. THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEAL OF GROUND TO COVER BUT ALREADY THEY ARE BEING SPURRED ON BY THE SIGHT OF WATER FLOWING DOWN THE FIRST FEW MILES (KMS) OF THE CANAL.

THE INDIANS HAVE NOT BEEN ENTIRELY FORGOTTEN AND ARE RECEIVING SOME HELP TO COMPLETE THEIR ENORMOUS TASK. IT IS HELP THEY BADLY NEED FOR ALTHOUGH THEY MAY HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT SUCH AS DYNAMITE IT TAKES OVER A DAY TO DIG A HOLE DEEP ENOUGH TO TAKE THE CHARGE.

OXFAM, THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR FAMINE RELIEF, IS ONE BODY THAT HAS GIVEN THE INDIANS ASSISTANCE. THEY RECENTLY GAVE THEM A PNEUMATIC DRILL TO BRING THEIR DREAM OF MAKING THE VALLEY FERTILE JUST A LITTLE CLOSER.