KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution deploring the building of Greater Thal Canal II and Jalalpur Canal, fearing the construction will desolate the agriculture land of the province, especially Thatta.
All opposition parties except the PTI supported the resolution that widely feared the new build-ups will further scale down supplies of water to Sindh and affect its agriculture output.
But the MQM placed an amendment to the resolution, asking the Sindh government to improve water supplies to Karachi as well and opposed the founding of Greater Thal Canal II and Jalalpur Canal.
The resolution came from Sindh Irrigation Minister, Jam Khan Shoro, saying that “despite Sindh’s opposition, Punjab has undertaken its construction plan on the canals”. He feared the move will desolate agriculture land in Sindh due to shortage of water supplies.
Through historic background, he told the assembly that a committee founded in 1937 had also made it mandatory for the upper riparian states to seek first Sindh’s consent before building any such canal projects. “The Fazal Akbar commission was constituted but remained fruitless,” he said.
He asked the federal government to help implement the 1991 water accord that has four provinces as its signatories. He claimed that water was not being supplied to Sindh as per the accord.
“We see water supplies shortage growing every year,” he said and added that “water shortage grows to 50 percent”. Despite such a grim situation, he said Punjab is constructing two new canals to rehabilitate its new lands of two million acres.
The minister thanked the GDA and MQM for their support to the resolution and also showed sorry for the PTI that abstained from voting by staying out of the house. He said that the canals development will turn three million acres of land in Sindh “desolated”.
MQM’s Muhammad Hussain said that the Sindh government should negotiate with the Punjab government on legal grounds to seek a solution to the feared impact on Sindh’s agriculture sector.
He said that water supplies should also be ensured to Karachi along with agriculture parts of the province. “Without Sindh’s consent, no development should start on canals,” the MQM legislator said.
MQM’s Kanwar Naveed Jamil extended his party’s support to the resolution, saying that “MQM will always stand by Sindh in troubles”. But, he also complained that the Sindh government for not honouring its pledge of increasing water quota to Karachi despite Chief Minister’s repeated assurances.
“We complain to the PPP government that it did not increase a single drop of water for Karachi despite the Chief Minister’s pledge of 65 MGD water supply quota for Karachi,” he said.
He said that the fake domiciles have taken away jobs prospects from Karachi youth to become part of the government. He said that Karachi pays Rs400 billion taxes but receives nothing in return, not even safe drinking water.
Former Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Qaim Ali Shah also spoke on the resolution along with PPP’s Imdad Pitafi and Riaz Shah Sheerazi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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