41pc water share  of Balochistan being stolen in Sindh,  says Irsa chairman

ISLAMABAD   –   Chairman of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has said that 41 percent water share of Balochistan is being stolen in Sindh.

The Standing Committee on Water Resources, which met under the chairmanship of Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur, was also informed by the WAPDA authorities that they have completed PC-I of the Telemetry System and would be submitted to government by Monday.

Chairman IRSA Zahid Hussain informed the committee that 41 percent water of Balochistan is being stolen. The water is being stolen in Sindh, he added. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) had directed that the Chief Minister of Sindh and Balochistan should sit and resolve the matters. So far no meeting is held in this regard, he added. Secretary Water Resource division said that stopping the water theft is the responsibility of the provincial government.

Chairman of the committee directed to write letters to the Chief Ministers of Sindh and Balochistan on the water theft issue.

Official of Federal Flood Commission informed the committee that Rs 65 billion have been allocated to mitigate flood destruction. The Standing Committee was briefed by Federal Flood Commission and Ministry of Water Resources that a PC-I of Rs 332 billion rupees has been prepared to completely address the issue of flood in the country. It has been proposed that the federal government and the provinces should share in the projects on 50:50 share basis. However, with the consultation of all provinces, it has been decided that in first phase Rs 65 billion rupees should be spent on different projects. So, the projects amounting to rupees Rs 23 billion shall be executed in the province of Punjab and projects amounting to Rs 20 billion shall be executed in the province of Sindh to mitigate the flood destruction. Similarly, several other mega projects shall be executed in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to control the floods. 

Regarding the telemetry system, it was informed that there were 24 sites where the telemetry system will be installed to properly check the flow of the water in Indus River System at different places. However, to start with there are 7 places where the telemetry system was proposed to be installed. However, the province of Sindh pointed out that for proper distribution of water and for proper checking of water it is necessary that the telemetry system shall be installed at least on 9 points. The Ministry of Water Resources apprised the Committee that the telemetry system shall be owned by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). However, it shall be installed by WAPDA. So, the government has decided to install telemetry system on 9 points instead of 7 points in phase-I. The WAPDA authorities informed that they have completed PC-I of the Telemetry System and would be submitted to government by Monday. 

The Standing Committee directed that telemetry system should be installed on priority basis because it is necessary for transparent and just distribution of water.   Telemetry System to be installed on 9 points on the Indus River System.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/16-Oct-2020/41pc-water-share-of-balochistan-being-stolen-in-sindh-says-irsa-chairman