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| July 3, 2005 | Sunday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 25, 1426 |
Irsa officials visit Garang regulator
LARKANA, July 2: A three-member team of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) arrived at the Garang Regulator, the water distribution point between Sindh and Balochistan, on Saturday and recorded soundings to resolve water dispute between the two provinces. The Chief Engineer of the Sukkur Barrage, Mohammed Nawaz Memon, along with the concerned engineers and the Chief Engineer of Balochistan Irrigation Department, Naseem Bazai, were also present on the occasion.
Mr Maqsood Ahmed, who headed the team, told newsmen on the occasion that the decision would be announced later in Islamabad. The reading that team had recorded was 2027 cusecs which was got signed without disclosing it to both of chief engineers.
The Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) president, Ishaque Mughairi, who was present on the spot doubted the readings taken by Irsa members saying that it was merely an ‘eyewash’.
When concerned high officials of the irrigation department from both the provinces were present then what was the reason to keep them secret. There seemed no harm in announcing the decision, he said.
“We don’t expect anything positive from the team’ Mughiri said adding that it was mockery to rely on ‘physical soundings’ instead of making operational the already installed ‘telemetry system’ at the ‘Garang Regulator’ to permanently resolve the dispute between both the provinces.
He claimed that Balochistan had a share of 2200 cusecs and on Saturday the flow was measured at 9 feet and two inches which was equal to around 3000 cusecs.
It showed that Balochistan was taking more water than its share.
Another source said that the irrigation staff of Sindh had also recorded the soundings and that stood at 2,800 cusecs.
Nevertheless, the team did not agree with it, the sources said.
The members of Irsa team had a detailed meeting with the irrigation officials of both the provinces in Sukkur prior to the site visit. However the SAB, Shahdadkot, disputing Irsa team’s readings called for stopping tampering with the gates of Garang Regulator allegedly by the Balochistan officials.
The actual shares for both the provinces should be ensured, the SAB said.
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