HYDERABAD, June 2: The working committee of Sindh Abadgar Board, at a meeting held here on Saturday, has strongly supported the Sindh’s stand on the implementation of 1991 water accord and release of 10 MAF water downstream Kotri.

Abdul Majeed Khan Nizamani presided over the meeting.

Referring to the press conference of the provincial irrigation secretary, the committee endorsed the Sindh government’s objections to the certification issued by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for the construction of greater Thal canal.

The meeting took strong exception to the shifting of irrigation offices at the start of monsoon season and said that it was for the first time since 1932 that the irrigation offices were being shifted during the “Abkalani season”. It appealed to the Sindh government to withdraw its decision in this regard especially when abadgars were crying hoarse for water.

The meeting adopted a resolution urging the Sindh government to approach the Punjab government with the request to desist from levelling baseless accusations that Sindh was wasting irrigation water. Referring to the statistics of crops production in both the provinces, the committee observed that such allegations were a complete travesty of facts.

It strongly protested the disparity in the allocation of funds to Sindh and Punjab for the rehabilitation of irrigation system under the 10-year plan.

The SAB working committee pointed out that for the development of irrigation system in Sindh, only Rs17 billion had been allocated whereas a huge sum of Rs152 billion had been earmarked for Punjab. Terming it a ‘great injustice’ the meeting demanded that the funds should be allocated on acreage basis.

The meeting strongly opposed the frequent inordinate increases in the prices of petrol, diesel, gas and electricity and pointed out that the power tariff in Pakistan was much higher than in the US and many European countries. It observed that the performance of the power sector was most unsatisfactory.

The committee expressed its grave concern over the deteriorating law and order situation which, it warned, was having a devastating affect on the industrial, commercial and agricultural activities.

The meeting lamented that on the one hand both the federal and provincial governments were encouraging cultivation of the crops which consume less water but on the other hand no arrangements had been made to purchase such crops.

It maintained that growers had cultivated sugar beat on 2,000-acres land which matures in four months. However, it observed, the growers had suffered huge losses as the crop had not been lifted.

The meeting demanded a thorough inquiry into the ‘indifferent’ attitude of the relevant authorities in this regard and demanded compensation for the aggrieved growers.

PEASANTS PROTEST: A large number of peasants and political activists observed a token hunger strike outside the press club here on Sunday to protest against the acute water shortage in Sindh and construction of the disputed greater Thal canal.