HYDERABAD, March 14: Speakers at a seminar have rejected operational control of any water reservoir built on the River Indus and payment of royalty to the province saying such "official packages" are a vain bid to hoodwink people.

They said while addressing a seminar on "Mega Water Projects: Taking stock of move ahead" on the occasion of international day of action for rivers on Wednesday, that the government should take into account people’s apprehensions before launching any new scheme. Sungi, Actionaid and Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF) had organised the seminar at a local hotel.

Water expert A. N. G. Abbasi said that the construction of Tarbela and Mangla dams had already destroyed Indus delta. No one would object to the construction of dams if there was surplus water available in the river system. Study of last 80 years indicated that river flows had mostly been unreliable, he said.

"We must try to save whatever we have now and people are unmindful of the impacts on delta and mangroves if dams are built," he said and added that the 1991 Accord had a provision for conducting study to learn the quantum of water to be released downstream Kotri.

He said that when he sought statistics of Tarbela as committee head he found out that the dam was being operated with wrong statistics as he was never provided the information during his visit to Lahore.

Mr Abbasi said that link canals should operate in case of surplus water after meeting shortages of a particular area but they had now become perennial. The rulers, politicians and other stakeholders were talking merely about building or not building Kalabagh Dam without resolving the pertinent questions about the thorny water issue, he said

"Without having efficient use of available water, any plan to build a new dam will be tantamount to a sin. We should rectify our past mistakes and overcome shortcomings before moving ahead gradually,” he said.

He came down hard on Irsa for failing to ensure strict implementation of the 1991 Water Accord, which he said was the only consensus document approved by CCI although it, too, could be debated.

Former foreign secretary Najmuddin A. Shaikh advised people to read through Abbasi's report on water resources before taking any position. The situation should not be analysed from a particular viewpoint or emotional approach and facts should be available and views of affectees of Tarbela Dam should also be kept in mind, he said.

Former secretary irrigation Idrees Rajput said while talking on "alternate options for larger dams" that if electricity line losses were brought down to 15 per cent from 30-40 per cent there would be no need for new dams.

Land levelling was another option which could help save 30 per cent of water losses, he suggested and supported construction of small dams on different sites.

Former senator Abdul Majeed Kazi said that surplus water was available only during occasional high or super flood years, which took place once in five years or more. During 28 years, post-Tarbela average outflow to sea stood at 34.6 MAF, which further reduced to 33 MAF and in subsequent three years the flow had been below average years, he said.

Mr Kazi said warned that water availability for Sindh would be almost zero if the proposed dams were constructed and result in converting the whole province into desert.