By Dilshad Azeem
ISLAMABAD: A high-level committee, notified by the Irsa chairman, was set up here on Saturday to fix responsibility, check theft and ensure smooth supply of water to Balochistan following its dispute with Sindh that has recently worsened.
The committee will inspect on June 30 the most controversial water courses and submit its report to the federal government and the Indus River System Authority about the water discharges, sources within Balochistan Irrigation department said on Saturday.
Balochistan claims to have been suffering 45 per cent shortage in the current Kharif season even in the scenario when there is zero per cent scarcity in the country and most of the reservoirs are close to their respective highest storage points. The committee members include officials from Wapda and Irsa and representatives of Sindh and Balochistan to carry out the monitoring exercise, the sources maintained.
The action was taken by the authorities on a report published in June 26 edition of The News wherein the Superintending Engineer (SE) Patfeeder Canal and SE Drainage Ibrahim Rind had raised the issue of 45 per cent water shortage his province was sustaining.
Rind had also written a letter on the behalf of the Balochistan government to the Centre, the Irsa and other relevant departments.
Chairman Irsa Bashir Ahmad Dahar notified the committee here on Saturday on the same letter that had pointed out shortages and reduced supplies mainly due to theft at the Kirthar Canal's Sindh side.
All the stakeholders have been informed through this letter about the serious reservations of Balochistan and deployment of the committee to assess the situation, the sources in Balochistan Irrigation department said while referring to the response they received from office of the Irsa chairman. The Chief Engineer Irsa, Aurengzeb Khattak is heading the committee.
In its protest letter, Balochistan complained that it was suffering from the shortages despite being exempted from sharing any sort of scarcity under the Water Apportionment Accord 1991, as it also provided water statistics of the last five years. The province had warned of a serious law and order scenario at the bordering areas with Sindh if the uninterrupted water was not supplied in accordance with its share.
According to the Balochistan's claim, the water availability at Guddu as well as Sakkhar barrages is considerably above the previous year but discharges to it from Sindh have been reduced.
According to the letter, there are 70 unauthorised water courses in Kirther canal's location in the jurisdiction of Sindh from where water is withdrawn from the share of the Balochistan province.
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