Consequences of natural resource degradation are evident everywhere downstream Kotri Barrage especially in the deltaic region. Millions of acres of land is degraded or completely submerged in water. A large number of people of the area who were once well-off because of the four main livelihood resources - agriculture, livestock, fisheries and sea route trade - have migrated to urban areas of Thatta, Badin, Karachi and other districts of Sindh.
And those who are still destined to live in the area have been experiencing poverty and deprivation. Severe shortage of drinking water has invited water borne diseases including diarrhea and gastroentritis in the region.
According to a report, because of a scarce flow of fresh water,a majority of water channels and Indus creeks have been submerged by seawater. Severe shortage of fresh drinking water has created a difficult situation for those living in the deltaic region.
Different studies have assessed the need of 27 to 35 MAF water downstream Kotri Barrage to ensure sustainability of ecology and livelihood resources in the region.
However, the 1991 Water Accord called for 10 million acres feet (MAF) water flow to the area. It also ensured studies would be undertaken to determine the quantity of fresh water that needs to pass through Kotri Barrage to save it from further degradation.
However, once the accord was signed, Punjab argued that only one study be undertaken and that should focus on the issue of seawater intrusion. Sindh, on the other hand, contended that the accord called for undertaking of ‘studies’ and therefore studies be carried out which should include ecological changes and environment degradation brought about by the flow of water never reaching the Indus Delta.
The two provinces have remained engaged in endless controversies for 14 years, and the communities suffered as the area kept degrading for want of fresh water escapages. The promised 10 MAF water was never released during all these years except when the floods came; it is impossible to put a ‘bund’ on the flow of floodwater.
Finally, Punjab showed leniency and the two agreed that three studies would be carried out, namely, ‘Study on Water Escapages Below Kotri Barrage to check ‘sea water intrusion’ (Study-I), ‘Study on Water Escapages Downstream of the Kotri Barrage to address environmental concerns (Study -II) and a third study on the environment concerns of all the four provinces.
The voluminous draft reports of Studies I and II carried out by a consortium of about 17 consultant firms are set to be submitted on September 30.
Earlier, environment, water and biodiversity experts and civil society leaders have identified serious flaws in the draft reports of these two studies, in a national-level workshop jointly organized by the Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) and Action Aid on September five in Karachi. First draft of workshop conclusion has also been submitted to the Sindh and federal governments, Flood Commission and the consortium of consultants.
Recently, a meeting of the working group was held in Karachi on September 13 under the chairmanship of the minister for Irrigation and Power, in which presentation of Study I on Water escapages Below Kotri Barrage to check sea water intrusion was given by the consultant.
It is a very important issue, particularly for Sindh as the unity of the system depends upon it. So, it is necessary that this study must be carried out with professional spirit that could equally satisfy demands of the people living both in upper and lower riparian area.
But there is a common perception among independent water experts that these reports have methodological flaws and inconsistencies between the Terms of Reference (TOR) and study content.
If these flaws were not removed, these studies would not be able to serve the basic purpose of ascertaining the needs of Indus flow downstream Kotri Barrage to prevent sea intrusion and degradation of environment, biodiversity and livelihood resource of Indus Delta.
Experts belonging to Sindh say that all-over the world, people living in the lower riparian area enjoy special rights but in Sindh reverse is the case.
Secretary, Irrigation and Power affirmed that consultants are not giving heed to their reservation and their concerns are not being addressed properly. He pointed out that study confined its work to examining the river bed salinity, ignoring all other aspects of sea intrusion including land erosion, ground water salinity and surface salinity.
A consultant explained that there are different forms of sea intrusion which include delta land erosion, land surface salinity, salinity of groundwater aquifers and submerging of delta land during high sea tides.
This study is being carried out in accordance with the TORs. The study was made on river bed because its aim is to check sea water intrusion not the sea intrusion.
One of the water experts commented that sea intrusion should be checked in active delta region across the bunds and area of study should not limit to the river bed alone. Besides that requirement of the amount of sediment water for the restoration of deltaic region should be addressed properly.
Participants of the meeting agreed that instead of “sea water intrusion” the basis of study should be “sea intrusion” and study I and II should not be separated as both are interlinked and inseparable and according to the result of these studies total requirement of water will be ascertained to stop sea intrusion and reclamation of inundated land.
Instead of indulging in a blame game, the government should look for the remedy of the situation.