HYDERABAD, May 8: People’s Party Parliamentarians MNA Nawab Ghani Talpur has demanded that Chashma-Jehlum and Taunsa-Panjnad link canals must be closed till the disparity in sharing of shortages between provinces was corrected.

He also demanded that the filling of Mangla dam reservoir should be stopped immediately to ensure water supply to Sindh.

In a statement faxed to Dawn on Saturday, he rejected argument that there was general water shortage due to climatic changes and drought-like situation.

Mr Talpur expressed concern over the persistent shortage of water in Sindh and delay in sowing of Kharif crops.

He demanded that the distribution of water should be carried out as per the clause-II of the 1991 accord.

He said that the so-called 1994 formula should be discarded once for all.

He said that the water crisis was the result of unbridled greed and mismanagement of water resources by powers that be.

He said that the water shortage in Sindh had exceeded to 60 per cent.

The PPP leader said that one of the main contributing factors was to pursue the 1994 formula in determining the shares of provinces in utter disregard of 1991 water accord.

He said that if water was not released in canals of Sindh, cotton growing areas would suffer a total disaster.

The MNA said that early Kharif sowing in lower Sindh had already resulted in huge losses and added that the expected yield was estimated at 40 per cent.

He said that the people of Thatta and Badin districts were facing a catastrophic situation as drinking water was not available there.

The MNA said that the areas severely affected due to water shortages should be declared as disaster zones and emergency measures should be taken to provide relief to suffering people.