HYDERABAD: Growers oppose water distribution on historic use basis
Bureau Report
HYDERABAD, April 14: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has expressed shock over the Irsa decision that the distribution of water during the current Kharif season would be made according to historic uses (1994 arrangement) and not according to the water accord of 1991.
It also opposed the Irsa secision that the expected quantity of 2.12 MAF water downstream Kotri would be shared by Punjab and Sindh to meet the shortages.
At its meeting held here on Sunday and presided over by Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah, the Chamber pointed out that there was no ambiguity in the accord about sharing the shortages and surpluses as the same were to be shared in proportion to the allocations as approved by the Council of Common Interest (CCI) for the relevant period.
The meeting recalled that the view expressed by Punjab that during the deficit period distribution should be made as per historic uses was rejected by the CCI at its meeting held on September 16, 1991. Thus the distribution of water as per historic uses is abinitio contrary to the decision of the CCI.
It recalled that as per the directives of the chief executive, secretariat, Irsa had acknowledged that the decision of historic uses stood annulled vide its letter of Nov 12, 2001. “The meeting regretted that Irsa had failed to formalize the burial of the ministerial decision of 1994.”
It refused to accept the contention of Irsa that the matter has been referred to seek some clarification from the Ministry of Water and Power and on the ground that a writ petition is said to have been filed by the farmers of Punjab in the Supreme Court.
The Chamber observed that no restraining order had been issued by the court and, therefore, Irsa has no legal cause to delay the action.
It deplored that even after two years, Irsa could not obtain clarification from the ministry and continues to distribute water under the annulled arrangement of 1994 historic uses.
It placed on record that the distribution of water under the “magic historic use of 1994 arrangement”, Punjab not only does not share three MAF shortages in the Kharif season but it also draws full allocated share upto 1.17 MAF.
The Chamber maintained that it was a naked violation of clause 14(b) of the water accord wherein it has been specifically mentioned that surpluses and shortages shall be shared by all the provinces.
It said that the NWFP and Balochistan had already been exempted from sharing shortages by the Irsa in violation of the accord.
It alleged that it is Sindh alone which not only shares the shortages but also takes the burden of providing 1.17 MAF over and above the full allocation of Punjab.
The meeting pointed out that 10 MAF of water have been indicated in the accord downstream Kotri but this water is released when there is surplus but not during shortages.
It said that if water is not allowed to flow downstream Kotri, even drinking water will not be available.
