KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday demanded of the federal government that the management of water distribution from the Mangla and Tarbela dams be given to Sindh and Balochistan on a rotational basis since the Water and Power Development Authority was not reliable as far as fair distribution of irrigation water was concerned.

Speaking at a press conference, the CM said that the shortage of water would hit the province badly since early sowing took place in Sindh because of the weather conditions.

He was also critical of the ‘unfair attitude’ of the federal water and power ministry for creating hurdles in installing power plants and transmission and distribution system.

Accompanied by provincial ministers, the chief minister said that the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) conveyed to Sindh that there would be an up to 50 per cent water shortage due to alarming depletion in water level of the Mangla and Tarbela dams.

He said that the Sindh government highlighted to the federal authorities concerned the need for storing water but they did not act in a timely manner to fill the dams and instead kept on operating link canals to get more water against their fair share.

Recalling an earlier water shortage, he said that in 2015 the dams had 61 million acre feet of water, but this year, even though they had additional water, the authorities had failed to fill the dams despite Sindh’s warning to the federal government about the expected shortage in the Kharif season.

“We can no longer trust the Wapda officials in distribution of water, power and gas as they are not even under the control of their federal minister,” he said, referring to the assurances given by the federal minister.

He said that he had held a meeting with irrigation experts last week to evolve a strategy to cope with the situation. “There would also be a shortage of drinking water but we are trying to manage the situation,” he said.

He deplored that the link canals were being constructed without taking other provinces into confidence. “This is a very undemocratic attitude and would create serious differences among the provinces and the federation.”

He demanded that Sindh and Balochistan be taken into confidence in the decision-making process in the water, power and energy sectors.

He hoped that the grievances of smaller provinces regarding their due water share would be resolved within the framework of the Constitution as there would be no need for any of the provincial governments to take an extraordinary step, including approaching the apex court, to get these issues resolved.

The CM said that his government would continue to raise the issues whenever it was felt that legitimate interests of the people of Sindh were being compromised.

He said that he would send a letter to the federal authorities reminding them of their obligations for the just distribution of water among the provinces in accordance with the 1991 Water Accord.

He said he had also asked the provincial irrigation authorities to prepare a comprehensive case regarding Sindh’s due water rights so that the province could take up the issue at the forthcoming session of the Council of Common Interests.

He hoped that the federal government would listen to and understand the issues of Sindh regarding its water needs and would also take the required steps for fair distribution of irrigation water among smaller provinces.

He announced that the Sindh government would establish wind- and solar-powered district power plants and then develop a provincial distribution system to provide electricity in local areas. “This is the only way to control power shortage, otherwise the approach of the federal government to produce energy is not based on sincere intentions. Particularly, there are some unscrupulous elements creating problems and causing unnecessary delays,” he said.

He also criticised the Hyderabad and Sukkur electric companies for prolonged load-shedding, overbilling and playing ‘games’ to delay power projects in Sindh.

To another question about Sharjeel Memon, the chief minister said that the whole episode was a proof of high-handedness of the National Accountability Bureau. Mr Memon was granted protective bail by the Islamabad High Court but even then he was manhandled. “He is an elected member of the provincial assembly of Sindh and has come to face the cases but was harassed,” he said.

He also added that those who were facing serious cases in the Supreme Court were enjoying senior and important positions in the federal government, but NAB was harassing those who voluntarily returned to face the cases.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2017