HYDERABAD, June 7: The Sindh Abadgar Board has demanded that the 1991 water accord should be implemented and the original share of the Kotri barrage, standing at 44,000 cusecs of water, should be restored

The demands were made at a meeting of working committee of the board held here on Saturday and presided over by its president Abdul Majeed Nizamani.

It pointed out that the 1991 water accord was a unanimous covenant signed by the federating units as well as the federation and it was protected under law after being endorsed by the Council of Common Interests.

It said that the Indus River System Authority had also been constituted under the water accord which decided in its first meeting on Feb 10, 1993, that a study would be carried out in six months to determine the water requirements downstream Kotri.

The meting expressed surprise that not only the study was not carried out during 10 years but some illegal water projects were being constructed on the River Indus.

The farmers’ organization expressed concern over what it called step-motherly treatment being meted out to Sindh in respect of water supply, taxes and crop prices and demanded a judicial investigation into the excesses against Sindh.

The board conceded that the entire Pakistan, Asia and other countries of the world had faced drought during the last few years but added that on the pretext of drought, Sindh had been subjected to tyranny as far as the distribution of water was concerned.

The meeting observed that 30.5 per cent decrease in the production of rice, 30 per cent in the production of sugarcane and 27 per cent in the production of wheat coupled with the decrease in the cultivated area to the extent of 34 per cent in the province were an ample proof of the tyranny.

It further said that during the last three to four years, the agriculture sector of the province had sustained a staggering loss of Rs 42 billion.

The board demanded a judicial investigation with regards to comparison of production of major crops of sugarcane, rice and wheat and cultivated area in Punjab and Sindh.

The meeting deplored that the Board of Revenue had levied taxes without making any assessment of crop production and its only objective had been to meet the taxation targets.

It challenged the government to select five Dehs each of Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri barrages and place it on record as to how much taxes were collected and what amount was deposited in the government treasury.

It said that in Punjab, the rates of rice and sugar were fixed at Rs235 per 40 kg and Rs18.50 to Rs18.57 per kg, respectively, whereas in Sindh the rates of the commodities had varied between Rs205 to Rs210 per 40 kg and Rs17.50 to Rs18 per kg, respectively.

It said that the judicial inquiry should also determine why different procedure was adopted in the recovery of agriculture tax and water charges and why there was such a vast difference between the rates of crops in the two provinces.

The board further demanded that an investigation should also be held why so much disparity existed in the facilities for agro- based industry in the two provinces.

It deplored that due to the on-going tussle between the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority and the Sindh irrigation department, less water had been released in Phulleli canal when compared to Pinyari canal. It demanded judicious allocation of water for Phulleli Canal as its channels were lying dry.