In 1997, Sindh embarked on a major reform involving decentralization and transformation of its irrigation and drainage system. The reforms, based on the participatory irrigation management involved the management transfer of the irrigation and drainage system
from the Irrigation and Power Department to an autonomous organization- the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida).
Sida was set up under the Rs31.4 billion National Drainage Programme (NDP) which is financed by a consortium of IDA, the ADB and the Japan Overseas Economic Fund (JOEF).
The prime objective was to use the existing water resources more efficiently and wisely so that equitable and reliable supply of irrigation water to all farmers, especially the tail water users may be made possible for the improvement of agricultural production.
A pilot project was formally launched at Nara canal command area on June 9, 2001 with handing over the documents of the authority initially to 20 farmers' organizations (FOs) at a ceremony in Mirpurkhas. The base of Sida was to be expanded in other areas after successful results of the pilot project were achieved.
As Sida Act of 1997 did not address some important irrigation-related issues adequately and provide for the transfer of the entire provincial irrigation system to an autonomous organization, the Sindh Water Management Ordinance was issued in October 2002.
Under the Ordinance, Sida will replace the Sindh Irrigation and Power Department completely by the year 2005. Through the ordinance, Sida will act as a reform agent and take over the management of the irrigation and drainage system from the barrages to canal head-works and flood protection infrastructure, and from main drains to out fall drains, and implement participatory water management according to modern business principles.
Besides, Sida will promote the formation, growth and development of the Area Water Boards (AWBs) and the FOs into self-supporting and self-financing entities. It will also modernize the operations of the AWBs by introducing modern corporate governance, scientific management methods, modern information systems, and proper financial management.
Sida will not only maintain and execute the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) but it will also take over old schemes like the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) and the Salinity Control and Reclamation Project (Scarp).
The question is whether the concept of participatory irrigation management is suited for the prevailing social, political and cultural system of our society and country, where the power has remained in the hands of influential landlords and bureaucrats and where the society is divided into different tribes, groups, races, sects etc., and where from the time immemorial the farmers have water at nominal rates?
So far, the progress of Sida in the establishment of the AWBs and the FOs is disappointing. According to official sources Sida has to form 14 AWBs at canal level and approximately 1,350 FOs at minors and distributaries of the canals.
But so far, 5 AWBs viz the Nara Canal AWB, the Left Bank Canal AWB, the Ghotki Feeder Canal AWB, the Western Canal AWB, the Begari Feeder Canal AWB and 193 FOs have been formed by the authority on Nara, Left Bank Canal and Ghotki Feeder Canal. Sida has also failed in conducting elections in any of the AWB. So far no bank account is reported to have been opened by any of the AWB. The abiana collection by the FOs is in disarray.
Sida comprises of five elected members from the FOs, five nominated members and six ex-officio members. The farmers' representation in Sida is less than official members. In any decision making, the officials are very likely to prevail over the farming community.
This is very undemocratic and against the concept and philosophy of the participatory water management. Up to now only irrigation officials and influential landlords were involved in the water theft but now the chairman of the FOs will also be able to divert most of the water from the watercourses either by tampering their watercourse outlets or bribing the officials and thereby depriving tail-end water users from their legal share of irrigation water.
Conflicts between the FOs and irrigation officials occur frequently. The FOs complain about the non-cooperation of irrigation officials and say that all decisions are made without their consent, including the rotation programme on canals.
This attitude of the officials may cause failure of this participatory reform in irrigation system of Sindh. The FOs regret that they have no control on water in minors and distributaries. Even a corrupt irrigation official is not being transferred on their complaint.
A tug of war between Sida and the Sindh Irrigation and Power Department has rendered this participatory irrigation management system almost ineffective. Officials of Sida blame the provincial irrigation department for the failure of the irrigation management transfer to the FOs.
On the other hand, the officials of provincial irrigation department have reservations on the hiring of foreign consultants at the cost of millions of dollars and recruitment of managing officials at high wages in Sida.
Senior irrigation officials are of the view that Sida may prove to be counter productive and may render losses to the agriculture sector of the province as the water rates (abiana) will increase as much as three times, breaking the back of the farming community.
They fear that when the irrigation system will be completely handed over to the FOs by 2005, nearly 30,000 employees of the provincial irrigation department would be rendered jobless.
Many examples can be quoted when foreign-funded mega projects have failed to achieve the required targets due to poor designing and planning, defective operation and maintenance.
Scarp failed to achieve the desired results and the LBOD has now become a social, environmental and economic disaster for Sindh. In last year's rains the LBOD acted more as a bottleneck than as a facilitator for draining out the accumulated rain water. One may have fear that this mega project (Sida) might meet the same fate like other foreign-funded projects.
A strong view prevails that since the pilot project of Nara canal has failed in ensuring equitable and reliable water supply to farmers specially the tail-enders of Nara canal, and also has not brought significant improvements in the irrigation system of the project area, there seems no justification in expanding the jurisdiction of Sida to all over the province.
