HYDERABAD: Speakers have emphasised the need for increasing efficiency in utilisation of water in order to meet growing challenges to this precious commodity and added that while Sindh being lower riparian faces unending water shortage, its upper counterpart - Punjab - brings more land under crops’ cultivation.

They were speaking at a World Water Day programme organised by the Development Region-II led by Chief Engineer Zarif Iqbal Khero at Kotri Barrage here on Wednesday.

Addressing the event, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said Pakistan had fallen victim to water scarcity, which was evident from per capita water availability. It was around 5,000 cubic meter in 1960s, which had come down to 1,000. With such an alarming situation no one could talk about dams’ construction, he said, calling for using high efficiency irrigation system in order to save water losses as much as possible.

He said the Water Accord had called for releasing 10MAF water downstream Kotri barrage, but it was not released. Then, he said, a study was conducted which determined that 25MAF water should be released downstream Kotri and that target was not met, which was essential in order to check sea intrusion in the coastal belt. The sea intrusion, he said, had spelt disaster in the coastal parts of lower Sindh region.

He said Sindh was facing over 40pc water shortage and that remained too evident, but the upper riparian produced more crops and was bringing more land under cultivation. It was quite contrasting that water shortage was affecting the entire system, but the lower riparian faced a different scenario and upper riparian remained comfortable with water availability.

He said that paddy acreage was increasing in Punjab as well. The Pakistan Peoples Party had opposed Greater Thal Canal (GTC), but the previous government and its allies had approved Jalalpur canal. He added that Sindh’s barrages ensured run of the river flows as there was no saving of water.

Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) vice president Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah said that Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai had discussed water and agriculture. But, he said, “we as common people were not ready to discuss or understand very simple points”. Challenges of water were growing and there was dire need to ensure efficiency in water utilisation. It was mindboggling that how could more land be brought under cultivation in Punjab in the shape of Jalalpur canal or GTC.

He said the Water Accord specified certain quantum of water for each province, but in Punjab more land vis-a-vis its share in accord was under cultivation.

He said Sindh’s barrages mostly remained on the run of the river flows. Karachi’s K-IV was being designed to lift water to meet the city’s water needs. He regretted that nobody was looking into the fact that the water supply infrastructure of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) KWSB was the main cause of water losses as more water was lost during supply and that needed to be fixed.

In his keynote speech, Zarif Khero said climate change didn’t differentiate between rich and poor countries and it was not climate change’s concern either as to what would be institutional response in the event of any emergency. He observed that the debates of climate and water security were leading to public anxiety about potential changes and their impact.

He maintained that most projected impacts had directly to do with water such as droughts, floods, sea level rise and more.

He pointed out that ensuring water security was a priority objective for governments around the world because in recent years, climate change had caused uncertainty and variability. It was Indus river that had generated huge social and economic benefits, adding that large-scale diversions and detentions were developed along river in the 20th century.

Sindh Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri said water policy of Sindh would play an important role in dealing with water-related challenges. Fresh agriculture engineers from the SAU were participating in water-related courses, he said and urged the irrigation ministry to accommodate them in jobs. He said the Annual Development Programme (ADP) schemes must have allocations for research and development related works.

Jami Chandio, Dr Bukhshal Lashari and Zahida Detho also spoke.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2023