HYDERABAD, June 2: Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) has urged PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to save Indus River System Authority (Irsa) from being paralysed and order an inquiry as to how a summary went missing in the Prime Minister’s House that was seeking nomination of Wapda’s general manager Chaudhry Mushtaq as federal government’s nominee in Irsa.

In its monthly meeting presided over by SAB president Abdul Majeed Nizamani, the board felicitated Nawaz Sharif for his nomination as PM for the third term and reminded him that Water Apportionment Accord 1991 was signed under his government and Irsa was formed after that.

SAB appealed to him to ensure justice to Sindh on consideration of certain facts and realities in order to save Irsa.

The board expressed concern over news reports that despite Sindh’s objection, Irsa allowed 5000 cusec of water for Chashma Jehlum-link canal with a majority decision in the last week of April. Then in May Wapda released water for power generation from Tarbela dam which was left with 3ft of water. Irsa provided 50,000 cusec of water for Sindh against the requirement of 65,000 cusec as per May’s first ten daily.

The meeting noted that Irsa was formed for judicious distribution of water under the accord. Besides each member from the provinces, Irsa has one federal government nominee and two ex-officio members who could be Wapda chairman or his nominee and second was chief engineering adviser, but they do not have voting right. It said that from 1993 till 1999, the federal government’s nominee was from Punjab. In initial eight years Sindh had objections over various decisions, it claimed.

The meeting said it was in year 2000 when some important decisions were taken to end mistrust in Sindh. The decisions included that federal government’s representative would be from Sindh under constitutional cover, Irsa’s headquarter would be shifted to Islamabad from Lahore and telemetry system would be installed wherever needed. It said that the post of federal nominee remained vacant ever since Bashir Dahar, who was from Sindh, completed his term on Oct 15, 2010, as federation’s representative.

SAB urged Mr Nawaz and the chief minister of Sindh to fill the post of federal nominee which was Sindh’s legal and constitutional right. An inquiry should be got conducted as to how a summary seeking Wapda’s general manager appointment as federal nominee went missing. It was in fact a conspiracy to paralyse Irsa. The board said that all the decisions disputed by Sindh should be rejected.

The meeting said that wrong figures were being shared by Sukkur and Guddu barrage officials and the Sindh chief minister should take notice to save Kotri barrage from destruction.

It also demanded of the president and the Sindh government to compensate losses Sindh had suffered in 2010 floods, 2011 rains and due to flows of rainwater from Balochistan in 2012. All officials should be held accountable who had given illegal promotions to junior officers in the irrigation and other departments.

It said encroachments on natural waterways, river banks, riverbed and in irrigation network still existed despite a lapse of one year and Sindh Assembly passed encroachment specific-law to remove encroachments in three months.

SAB urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice on all direct outlets, lift pumps and supporting channels which should be got dismantled to ensure justice to Sindh’s economy. Rotation of water channels should be closed to ensure availability of land in tail-end areas.

The meeting called for timely de-silting of water channels and repair of regulators and urged that trend of advance payments to contractors must end.

Final payment should be made after verification of a joint committee having representation of growers’ organisations and department officials.