Acute water shortage: Sindh receiving 51pc less water than its share, says minister

By Our Correspondent
May 17, 2022

KARACHI: Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro has claimed that Sindh’s water is being stolen, hence the province is receiving 51 percent less water than its due share guaranteed in the water accord 1991.

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Talking to journalists at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, the irrigation minister said that reduced water inflow in the Keenjhar Lake and Kotri Barrage had created shortage of potable water for the residents of Sindh.

Shoro said that Sindh would continue to protest against the severe water shortage as it was a matter of life and death. He demanded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ensure equitable distribution of water among the provinces in accordance with the Water Accord 1991.

Shoro claimed that Sindh had provided valid proof of water theft and added that those involved in water theft from Sindh’s due share must be exposed. The situation further worsened on May 11, as Sindh received 51 per cent less water than its due water share guaranteed in the Water Accord 1991, said Sindh irrigation minister, adding that Sindh had been facing 35 per cent water shortage during the corresponding period last year.

Shoro demanded the federal government should detect the unlawful methods being used to steal water from Sindh’s share. Besides, he criticized opening of TP Link Canal against the direction of the Sindh Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources and added that it was a violation of the commitment made with Sindh as water could not be stored in the upcountry when the province was facing water shortage.

“The cotton crop was sown on less than half of 500,000 hectares farm area in Sindh but water is not available for the cotton cultivation,” said Shoro. He also quoted Indus River System Authority as saying that water was disappearing from the Indus River before reaching Sindh.

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