QUETTA:
The Balochistan government is considering taking legal action against the Sindh government for what it describes as unfair distribution of canal water after repeated contacts with the Sindh chief minister and other authorities failed to ensure the province received its approved share.
According to officials, canal water shortage in Balochistan has worsened due to continued reduction in water supply from Sindh despite improvement in river flow.
Pat Feeder Canal Superintendent Engineer Mudassar Khoso said although the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) reported better water availability, the Sindh Irrigation Department was still supplying Balochistan with 46 per cent less water than its allocated share.
He said Balochistan was currently receiving only 0.365 million acre feet (MAF) of water against its allocated share of 0.678 MAF, leaving a deficit of 0.310 MAF.
Khoso told RD-109 that Balochistan needed 6,700 cusecs of water but was receiving only 4,096 cusecs. Similarly, in RD-102, the province received only 1,050 cusecs against a demand of 2,400 cusecs.
He said he had earlier written to the relevant authorities seeking a review of water flows allocated to Balochistan, but received a response contrary to official procedures and administrative ethics.
Khoso added that he now plans to visit Guddu Dam on Monday (July 6) to review the situation after postponing an earlier visit scheduled for July 1 due to official commitments.
Provincial Minister for Irrigation Mir Muhammad Sadiq Umrani said the continuous reduction in Sindh’s share of Balochistan Canal water was making the situation increasingly serious.
He said the issue was taken up with the Federal Minister for Water Resources, Sindh Irrigation Minister, Sindh Irrigation Secretary and IRSA Chairman in meetings and written communications, urging them to stop deductions from the share allocated to Balochistan.
Umrani said Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti had also contacted Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah who assured him that no deduction would be made.
However, he alleged that despite these assurances, Sindh Irrigation Department officials continued to reduce water supply to Balochistan.
The provincial minister said that the IRSA chairman had also written to the Sindh government, stating that Punjab was not responsible for the reduction and Sindh was making the deductions, which amounted to injustice against Balochistan.
Umrani said despite approaching all available forums, the province had failed to get relief for what it termed as unfair treatment and was now seriously considering taking legal action against the Sindh government.
He said he would meet Chief Minister Bugti later today to brief him about the seriousness of the situation and seek his approval for legal action. Umrani promised that Balochistan would not allow any further violation of its water rights.
