Sindh: Due to overdrawal of water by Punjab from Indus, which is the lifeline of Sindh province, the later is facing an acute water scarcity. This has led to friction between Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari which is supporting Sharif’s government from outside.
The overdrawal by Punjab has led to a scarcity in Dadu Canal, which should get 4,995 cusecs, is getting only 860 cusecs. This amounts to around 82 per cent shortage and has led to untold miseries for the farmers dependent on this canal in Sindh. For North Western Canal, allocation is 6,260 cusecs but it is getting only 2,100 cusecs for Larkana and Qambar- Shahdadkots. This amounts to a severe 62 per cent shortage when temperatures all across Sindh at the peak of summer hovers above 40 degrees Celsius.
Incidentally, Dadu had recorded the highest temperature of 51.5 degrees Celsius some days ago. This intense heat, coupled with short supplies, is leading to fast evaporation of water in the canals, hitting the farmers hard.
Critical water crisis in Sindh Province
The Right Bank Canal System of Sukkur Barrage is currently experiencing a critical irrigation water shortage. This has severely impacted the command areas of Larkana an Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, as well as the lands in Balochistan, fed through the North West Canal (NWC) during the peak Kharif crop season.
The impact is also affecting Dadu Canal, Rice Canal and those irrigating the Sukkur district. The prevailing shortfall across the canal network has reached an alarming level, Dadu Canal (minus 82 per cent), North West Canal (minus 64 per cent) and Rice Canal (minus 38 per cent).
Data from sources in Sindh’s irrigation department indicates that Punjab is currently drawing 53,394 cusecs against its allocated share of 44,000 cusecs — an excess withdrawal of around 21.35 per cent. Similarly, Taunsa Barrage is lifting 25,694 cusecs against its entitled share of 24,000 cusecs, reflecting an over-withdrawal of approximately 10 cent, according to Dawn.
Meanwhile, the pond level at Chashma Barrage has recorded a continuous rise, climbing from 644.9 feet on Friday to 646.4 feet on June 6, Saturday, indicating accumulation of water in the upper reaches even as downstream scarcity deepens to a more critical situation.
The chief engineer Barrage Management Unit was kept abreast about the current water situation by the Sindh government officially. He was requested due consideration and necessary action. The matter was also conveyed to the irrigation secretary and the department’s technical secretary, besides other officials concerned.
Despite Sindh having submitted an indent of 1,30,000 cusecs, only 100,000 cusecs is being released, leaving the province to contend with a massive shortfall. The irrigation people said that the particular concern is the controversial Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) Link Canal, which remains operational and is drawing approximately 16,500 cusecs, a volume that exceeds the combined flow of several canals at the tail-end barrages that irrigate the country’s major agricultural zones.
Water Apportionment Award of 1991 violated
The ongoing water crisis in Sindh’s Right Bank Canal System is affecting millions of acres of agricultural land and stands in direct contradiction to the principles of equitable water distribution enshrined in the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) is an inter-provincial body meant to sort out issues like this but has not been convened for a long time.
In the light of the grave situation prevailing in Sindh, the Federal authorities are being urged to take immediate steps to ensure the province receives its rightful water share without delay. PM Shehbaz Sharif has been requested to review and regulate excess water withdrawals in the upper reaches.
He has also been requested to intervene and tell officials to streamline operations of link canals in accordance with the designated allocations; and established regulations to ensure adequate water supply to Sukkur Barrage’s Right Bank canals. A proper and just flow in Sindh’s canals alone can to meet the agricultural needs of Larkana, Shahdadkot, the Balochistan segment, Dadu and Sukkur districts.
The Federal officials have been told repeatedly that the situation demands urgent high-level intervention before the ongoing shortfall causes irreversible damage to the region’s agriculture and rural livelihoods. The Dawn report is based on field data and official irrigation records from the Sukkur Barrage Right Bank Canal System.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP angry over shortfalls
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has constantly been reminding the authorities concerned that Sindh, as a major contributor to the national economy, produces 5.5 million tonnes of rice annually and generates $1.4 billion in rice exports. Cutting the province’s water share during Kharif amounts to ‘economic massacre’ of this lower riparian province.
“Sindh produces 67 per cent of the country’s agricultural output, yet it is being deprived of its rightful water share,” he stresses.
The current shortages of water in Right Bank canals of Sukkur Barrage pertaining to Larkana, Shahdadkot, Dadu, Shikarpur, NW Canals and Balochistan are as under: Dadu Canal (minus 82 per cent), NWC (minus 64 per cent) and Rice Canal (minus 38 per cent), respectively. Ishaq Mugheri, a former president of the Sindh Abadgar Board’s Qambar-Shahdadkot district chapter, has said that the situation is very alarming.
Most farmers and landowners in Shahdadkot, Qubo Saeed Khan and other vast areas irrigate their lands with supplies from the Saifullah Magsi branch and due to incomplete remodeling of the major irrigation channels, the paddy transplantation had not been started. He says: “We are still waiting water to reach the tail-end to start preparing paddy nurseries.”
Mr Mughiri says that Dadu Canal allocation is 4,995 cusecs but being provided only 860 cusecs; North Western Canal allocation is 6,260 cusecs and is provided 2,100 cusecs for Larkana and Qambar- Shahdadkots. The Rice Canal’s allocation is 8,700 cusecs but it is provided only 5,300 cusecs. The withdrawal at Taunsa is 25,694 cusecs against the entitled allocation of 24,000, 9.3% in excesses.
Balochistan getting no water at tail end
Another issue that has cropped up between Sindh and Balochistan is over their respective water share from Grang Regulator as presently NWC is receiving lesser water, which is the key channel for water distribution, Mr Mugheri said. The inter-provincial discord between Punjab and Sindh is all due to overdrawal by the former.
As Upper Riparian, Punjab province of Pakistan has been acting like a hegemon and ignoring all inter-provincial understanding and norms. This is happening as Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has the tacit backing of her uncle and PM Shehbaz Sharif. Since Sindh is being short supplied and deprived of its fair share by Punjab, it does not have enough water to share with Balochistan downstream.
