LAHORE, April 11: Punjab spurned on Thursday Irsa chairman’s implied assertion that water among provinces could be distributed according to the clause 14-(a) of the 1991 Water Accord.
A spokesman of the Punjab Irrigation Department maintained that “the matter of water distribution — whether according to 14-(a) or 14-(b) — is pending with the President’s Secretariat. Unless a decision comes from there, only a status quo can be maintained.” On Wednesday, by declaring a decision, Irsa chairman violated the Chief Executive-sanctioned discipline on two counts, he said.
“Firstly, the chairman was told during one such previous row that any final decision regarding water must be approved by the president. The chairman tried to jump the gun on Wednesday.
“Secondly, as per presidential order, only Irsa secretary could keep liaison with the press to avoid confusion and conflicting claims. The chairman faulted on both accounts by announcing a decision to the press.”
He alleged that Irsa Chairman Noor Mohammad Baloch conveniently forgot that the Indus River System Authority worked as a body; an individual, however important, could not take a unilateral decision. “Specially so, if it can have negative national repercussions.”
About the Irsa chairman’s recent letter requesting Punjab to restrict its withdrawal from the national pool to 5,000 cusecs and rest given to Sindh, he maintained: “As told earlier to Irsa, such a decision will be suicidal for Punjab. The cotton sowing drive will shortly swing into top gear and any reduction in water would damage the crop beyond redemption. The whole of southern Punjab that depends on this water during April will be completely ruined.”
On top of it, Punjab had to open all its perennial canals by 15th after a closure of about three months, he said. “It can delay the opening only at the cost of agricultural and financial health of the province. The importance of water during the next five weeks can be gauged from the fact that Punjab was saving water now to use it later; it drew only 0.543 million acre feet (maf) water during the first 10 days of April against its existing national share of 1.119maf — a shortage of 51 per cent. It plans to maintain the same level to save water for the last 10 days when cotton sowing would pick up,” he pointed out.
About the impact of switching to para 14-(a) of Water Accord and its impact on Punjab, he summed up his response in one word “disastrous.” In this eventuality, Punjab would be losing around 2.5maf every year; Sindh would gain the same share, he further said, adding: “The national pool does not have 103maf water to be distributed according to the 14-(b) — last year, only 80maf water was available —, leave alone 114maf as required by the 14-(a) of the Water Accord.”
Where would the 34maf water come from to meet the demand of Sindh, he wondered. The only way left with others was to shut their taps off to meet Sindh requirements, he added.
Sindh authorities, he claimed, had ignored a very recent fact that Punjab let 0.3maf water flow from Chenab and Jehlum rivers to them without deducting its due share of 37 per cent.
“Irsa must try to understand that water allowances for Sindh are already double to that of Punjab.
“Any further addition would lead to severe water logging and salinity in Sindh and total drought in Punjab. If this is what Irsa wants, only God can help us,” he lamented.
