KARACHI: The Sindh government has expressed grave concern over water scarcity in the province, tells Provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Memon said that water shortage in Sindh barrages had increased to an alarming level as the Kotri Barrage was facing 72% water shortage. After irrigation and potable water, supply to industries is now likely to be affected in coming days, says the information minister. He stated that IRSA had failed to implement the 1991 water accord, adding that IRSA had been following the three-tier formula for distribution of water among the provinces for the last many years which was illegal and against its mandate.
The minister was of opinion that the three-tier formula had no legal status. It was introduced at a meeting of the Ministerial Committee in May 1994, but later, on the protest of Sindh province, it had been declared null and void by the Chief Executive of Pakistan and the Ministry of Water and Power on 23 October 2000.
The minister added that at present, water distribution among the federating units was being done under three-tier formula which was injustice to Sindh. He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were exempted from sharing water scarcity whereas only Sindh had to bear the entire burden of water scarcity.
The minister said: Punjab takes more water than its share during the water shortage season which is evident from IRSA’s own reports.” Memon demanded immediate closure of flood canals, including CJ canal as it was violation of the 1991 water accord.
“Sindh is not demanding water share of any other federating unit,” the minister said and added that they only wanted the share under water accord as life was being severely affected in Sindh due to acute water shortage while farmers, women, senior citizens and children were on the roads for seeking water from Kashmore to Keenjhar.