THATTA: Believing that the newly proposed Sindh barrage can prove to be “counterproductive”, politicians, activists and experts have called for a joint consensus on the subject to save Sindh delta from further destruction, Dawn gathered after detailed background interviews here on Wednesday.

In this regard, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sassui Palijo told this reporter that she had reservations in favouring the project after witnessing the fate of federally-sponsored execution of Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) and Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) in the province.

She claimed that none of the elected representatives from Sindh, including herself, Provincial Minister Ismail Rahu, who represented Laar (lower Sindh), other legislators as well as leaders of public opinion relating to Thatta, Sujawal and Badin coastline had so far been taken into confidence by the implementing authorities.

The senator claimed that the projects of LBOD and RBOD resulted in hyper salinity in lower Sindh, non-payment to poor abadgars for their lands acquired for the purpose, vanishing of small forests, persistent threat to the historical sites like Bhambhore, losses to the historical route of Alexander the Great etc from this area in yesteryears and a growing cause of pollution in and around one of the Asia’s bird sanctuary, Haleji Lake. She also had reservations that if the project lacked proper alignment, proper planning and other factors, the proposed barrage would ultimately deliver the same negative results.

Recalling the aftermath of the construction of dams and barrages on the Indus since the 1960s, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) chairman Syed Mohammad Ali Shah vehemently rejected the project, saying it would serve the “vested interests” of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).

Historian Dr Mohammad Ali Manjhi, author and columnist Rasool Bux Dars, water expert Obhayo Khushik, Iqbal Jakhro, Nazir Jakhro and others were unanimous in their belief that Sindh, particularly its lower areas, were already facing acute water shortage.

Expressing their reservations, the experts believed that for two to three decades, the mighty Indus right from Kotri to Indus delta had been facing non-release of water, which had resulted in shrinkage of small and big mangrove and other forests, losing its fish and shrimp hatcheries, turning its fertile agriculture lands hyper saline, losing more than 2.7 million acres of coastline land to oceanic water, facing environmental degradation and affecting its flora and fauna.

They said the construction of the proposed Sindh barrage from Kotri to Arabian Sea would ultimately displace many ancient villages, historical sites along its way, including Bolhari, Tando Hafiz Shah, Onger, Jherruk, Sonda, Chatto Chand, Faqir Jo Goth, Dervesh, Gullel, Kotri Allah Rakhyo Shah, Udero, Sanwal Pur, Sajanwari and others.

Awami Tehreek central leader Dada Qadir Ranto expressing his reservations said there was no extra river water to fulfil the required quantum capacity of the proposed barrage and ultimately the water authorities would curtail the share of Kotri, Guddu, Sukkur barrages and such a curtailment would hamper the agriculture sector. However, his party was in consultation with known Indus water experts to come to some conclusion, he added.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2019