Home Agriculture/Irrigation Water Accord Violation: Sindh faces 37% water shortage

Water Accord Violation: Sindh faces 37% water shortage

0
Water Accord Violation: Sindh faces 37% water shortage
A man looks out from a bridge at the lower Indus River at dusk on Saturday, December 2, 2017 near Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan. (File Photo)

The water shortages would have been shared equally but just to give favor to the Punjab they have been given more water- CM Murad Shah    

Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that under 1991 Water Accord the provinces have to share water, surpluses as well as shortages, as per agreed formula but during the on-going Kharif season-2021 Sindh has been given 35 percent shortage in the first 10-daily and 37.7 percent shortage in the second 10-daily while the Punjab has been given 17.3 percent shortage in the first 10-daily and 16 shortages in the second 10-daily.

“As a matter of fact, the water shortages would have been shared equally but just to give favor to the Punjab they have been given more water.”

Addressing a press conference here at CM House on Sunday Murad Ali Shah said that according to 1991 Accord on water distribution between the provinces, for every 10 days there was an allocation of water for every province. “In case of shortages or surplus water would be shared as per agreed formula,” he said.

Shah said that under the accord the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was created to implement the water accord in true letter and spirit but “it seems it failed to do its job judiciously.

The chief minister sharing the data of first 10-daily (May 1 to 10) of Kharif season 2021, said that the share of Punjab was 93.7 MAF against which it was given 77.5 MAF which showed a shortage of 17.3 percent. Similarly, the share of Sindh was 51.1 MAF against which it was given 33.3 MAF that showed a 35 percent shortage. Balochistan was given 20 percent more water.

Talking about second 10-daily (May 11 to 20) distribution of water, Murad Ali Shah said that the Punjab had a share of 100.8 MAF against which it was given 84.6 MAF which showed a 16 percent shortage while Sindh was given 38.4 MAF against a share of  61.7 MAF that showed a 37.7 percent shortage.

The chief minister said that under the water accord, the [water] shortages would have been shared by the provinces as per agreed formula, but the Punjab has been given more water and the Sindh has been turned barren. “This is an injustice with the people of Sindh and I would be raising my voice against it,” he said and added he would also write a letter to the prime minister on the issue.

___________________

Sindh Courier