Sindh to seek compensation for water woes

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to file a compensation case with the federal government for short supply of water to Sindh right from 1991 when the Water Accord was signed.

He took the decision while presiding over a review meeting at the CM House here on Monday, which discussed a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The chief minister reviewed each and every agenda item related to the Sindh government and took policy decisions in consultation with the departments concerned. The items on the agenda included status review of important decisions of the CCI meeting held on Dec 16, draft bill for the establishment of Natio­nal Metrology Institute of Pakistan, supply of gas to villages located within five kilometres of gas field, short supplies of water in Pat Feeder and Khirthar canals, establis­hment of a fiscal coor­dination committee, imple­me­ntation of Article 154 of the Constitution, national water policy, allocation of 1,200 cusecs additional water for Karachi and senior citizens privileges.

The chief minister said Sindh had been receiving short supply of water since long. But since 1991 when the Water Accord was signed, the province has been receiving less water than its allocated share. As a result, the people of Sindh, particularly growers and the provincial government, have suffered huge losses. There­fore, Sindh government must file its claim, he added.

CM discusses with provincial officials CCI meeting being held in Islamabad today
Mr Shah directed the province’s irrigation department to work out details of the water Sindh received from 1991 to 2017 and calculate the short supply so that a vigorous case could be presented in the CCI meeting.

The chief minister expressed surprise over the claim of the Balochistan government regarding compensation of short supply of water to Pat Feeder and Kirthar canals.

Talking about the construction of two minor watercourses of cumulative discharge of 800 cusecs from Begari canal for Baloch­istan, Mr Shah said Begari was a non-perennial canal and was already facing water shortage. “Since the construction of two minors would deprive the rightful share to the existing users, Sindh would oppose the request of the Balochistan government,” he said.

Irrigation Secretary Jamal Shah briefed the chief minister on the National Water Policy.

The chief minister said the water policy was not a CCI item. The federal government is bound to give water to the provinces according to their share in the accord. As far as the water policy is concerned, he added, it was the prerogative of the provincial government to frame its own policy in the light of its priorities, he added.

He opposed the idea inserted into the water policy of constructing new reservoirs.

The finance department briefed the chief minister on the establishment of the fiscal coordination committee. The chief minister said the provincial finance secretary and the chairman of the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) should be included in the committee to discuss fiscal policy and issues of the federal and provincial governments.

Mr Shah said the federal government was reluctant to hand over the assets and functions of Employees Old-Age Benefit (EOBI) and Workers Welfare Board to the provincial governments.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) was still recovering workers welfare funds, which was illegal and against the spirit of the 18th Amendment to the Constit­ution, he added. He said he would write a letter to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to stop the FBR from recovering workers funds through a notification. However, the SRB started collecting workers welfare funds and a

considerable amount had been recovered, he told the meeting.

After the meeting, Mr Shah, accompanied by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, flew to Islamabad to attend the CCI meeting.

Source: Dawn