Legislators in the Sindh Assembly on Friday demanded of Islamabad to end water excesses by Punjab, saying that the upper riparian province had been holding Sindh's due share. A heated debate in the Assembly on water crisis in Sindh drew the federal government's attention towards the 'non-implementation' of Water Accord of 1991, saying that Punjab had been usurping the lower riparian province of its valid share.
Sea because of a less water flow in the Indus River has eroded some 2.2 million acres of agriculture land in Sindh, the lawmakers from either side of the house clamoured, saying that "the continuing sea erosion will swallow Thatta, Badin, Sajawal and Hyderabad by 20150 while by 2070 Karachi".
Sindh Health Minister, Dr Sikandar Mandhro blamed Punjab for sea erosion, saying that the bigger province that bordered Sindh had been holding up the water share of the province that resulted in ravaging agriculture land. He said that the water disputes had now been for the 200 years and still unresolved.
"Whatever is happening because of Punjab is holding water," he said, adding that "Punjab has grown its agriculture land by 21 percent since 1984 while Sindh lost its 25 percent agriculture land, as 2.2 million acres of land had been eroded by sea". He said that the sea eroded 80 acres of land in Sindh on a daily basis.
MQM's senior legislator, Syed Sardar Ahmed forecasted that wars would be waged on water acquisition in the world. He told the house that the world had accepted that the climate change was more dangerous than the terrorism. He also accused India of violating the water accord with Pakistan as the upper riparian country had built dams on the down flowing rivers, illegally.
He warned the government of Indian premier, Modi's threat to Pakistan on shutting water supply to the country. He also pointed out that the water accord of 1991 had evolved just in a single day. He said that official secretaries of Sindh had also supported Punjab in distribution of water. He said that building greater Thal canal was a violation of 1991 water accord.
PML-N's lawmaker, Syed Ameer Haider Shah complained that the water shortage had 'destroyed' agriculture land in Sindh. "A big part of the agriculture land has fallen to sea erosion while a major portion to water logging," he said, adding that experts had already warned that the Thatta and Sajawal would vanish to sea erosion by 2050.
PTI's legislator, Samar Ali Khan warned that the nations would face two big challenges in the 21 century including water crisis and changing climate. He urged the government to take precautionary measures on urgent basis to cope with the severe issue. He said that the conservation should be one of the key steps to spare water for human consumption and irrigations, besides treating sea water for utilizations.
PML-F's legislator, Saeed Nizamani said that the water supply to Sindh in line with 1991 accord was the only solution to fully cultivation of agriculture land. "If uninterrupted water supply continues as per 1919 water accord, not an inch of agriculture land in Sindh would be uncultivated," he asserted, saying that his party was ready to support the PPP government on all forums to fight the province water issue.
Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah gave a detailed speech on the water issue and claimed that his party's government had been fighting for the province's rights with Islamabad. He also rejected the proposition by Punjab on development of Kala Bagh Dam. The house will now meet on Monday morning at 10 am.