HYDERABAD, Sept 21: People's Party Parliamentarians MNA Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur on Monday said if the Sindh government did not make the Shah Awais pumping scheme operational, he would raise the issue on the floor of the National Assembly.

In a statement issued here, he said due to indifferent attitude of the chief engineer of the Kotri Barrage, superintending engineer of the Baghar circle and other engineers concerned, the Shah Awais Canal was lying closed and Lakhi Shah Saddar and Chhchhar pumping schemes were not working.

Mr Talpur said the acute shortage of water had rendered lands in Thebat, Thatri, Lakhi, Unnarpur, Manjhand and other dehs barren. He said kutcha areas of Kohistan and Kotri were facing drought- like situation because the region had received no rains and there was water shortage in the River Indus.

He said the situation had forced residents of the region to migrate to areas where water situation was relatively better. The MNA regretted that due to apathy of the government, a proposal about construction of dams in Kohistan had been thrown in the cold storage.

Contrary to this, MNA Talpur added, the government was bent upon construction of the Kalabagh dam and the greater Thal canal to please one province.

HESCO: Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi inaugurated a central complaint cell at the Hesco headquarters here on Monday. The centre will redress public complaints and report major incidents to the ministry.