Fortifying dykes in province: Sindh Assembly asks centre to provide Rs 16 billion
Sindh Assembly on Thursday passed unanimous resolution asking the federal government to provide Rs 16 billion to Sindh for fortifying dykes along the rivers before the next monsoon season. The Assembly, which resumed it ongoing session here on Thursday after a day break due to provincial holiday on account of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai's death anniversary, was presided over by Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khoro.
Warning the federal government, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Khan Dharejo said the situation could be worse in case of floods during upcoming monsoon if the embankments were not fortified. Following the Question Hour, the house passed two resolutions including the one asking the federal government to release funds for strengthening dykes in the province.
The second resolution, which was also passed unanimously, was against Punjab Assembly's resolution demanding restructuring of Indus River System Authority (IRSA). Dharejo informed the house that his ministry had sent some 70 different schemes to the federal government regarding strengthening of river's embankments during the meeting of Indus River Commission.
He said for execution of these projects, Sindh government needed at least Rs 16 billion on urgent basis. He said his ministry had asked the federal government to release fund but yet not received any response in this regard. He said he wanted the Assembly to remind the federal government by passing a resolution in this connection.
Dharejo informed the house that these dykes had not been fortified for the last 15 years and were in a run-down condition. He said cracks appeared during the recent catastrophic floods in embankments had been mended manually, which were still weak to rip again.
The other resolution, which was tabled by Sikandar Ali Sohro, lamented the Punjab Assembly for demanding restructuring of IRSA. The Punjab Assembly wanted nomination of the federal member of the authority either from Islamabad or Azad Kashmir, he said. The resolution was aimed at empowering Punjab province to have its control on the Sindh's share of water of Indus River, he opined. He said Sindh Assembly protested against the Punjab Assembly's intentions regarding restructuring of IRSA.
Khalid Ahmed said that Sindh province was not receiving its allocated share of water due to which there had been shortage of water for irrigation. Jam Madad Ali alleged Punjab had always held Sindh's water and urged the provincial government of PML-N to implement the 1991 water accord to solve the issues regarding water.
Shazia Mari, Murad Ali Shah Shaoib Bukhari and Ayaz Soomro also expressed their views and condemned Punjab Assembly's resolution. They said such a move would intensify bitterness amongst the federating units, urging the Punjab government to refrain from such propositions.
They said Sindh province should retain the federal membership of IRSA for being lower riparian. They feared that if the member came either from the federal capital or Azad Kashmir, Sindh's share of water would be reduced further. They said the Punjab Assembly's resolution would harm national unity and stressed for the uninterrupted water flow to Sindh.
During the question hour, Sindh Minster for Home and Jails, Zulfiqar Mirza told the house that there had been a plan to set up a mini operation theaters and laboratories in jails at a cost of Rs 30 million. To a question, he said 90 people were killed in different bomb blasts incidents in Karachi during January 1, 2008 to April 30, 2010. He said compensations to 24 blasts victims could not be made as their heirs could not be traced.
He said there was not any computer facility at Sindh's Police stations, however the government was planning to initiate the needed facility. "114 rape cases were reported from May 1, 2008 to October 2008 in different district of the province," he said, adding that of them six were gang raps, 15 sexual assaults and nine cases related to gender harassment. He said the Sindh government had also set up an anti-honour killing cell in Sukkur region in collaboration with UNDP.
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