KARACHI: The Sindh Cabinet has observed that the province of Sindh and its people are being meted out step-motherly treatment by the Center in respect of water distribution and prolonged load-shedding.

As a result, not only crops are turning pale but people and animal are suffering seriously in the sweltering weather.

The cabinet meeting held here at the CM House yesterday under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. All the provincial ministers, special assistants, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon and other officers concerned attended the meeting.

The agenda of the meeting was prolonged load-shedding and water shortage. The additional item included in the agenda was ongoing second phase of census.

Secretary Energy Agha Wasif briefing the cabinet on load-shedding said that Hesco was resorting to four to 16 hour load-shedding. He added that if the feeder losses are 20 percent it means load-shedding would be four to six hours, if feeder losses are from 20 to 30 percent meaning six to eight-hour load-shedding and then it goes on to prolong.

The rural areas of the province are faced with such a worst situation, he added.

He said SEPCO was resorting to load-shedding in district headquarters around four hours; taluka headquarters six hours and rural areas eight hour.

The cabinet expressed its displeasure that the HESCO and SEPCO were recovering power bills from residential consumers through NAB. "This is unacceptable at any cost," the cabinet unanimously said.

Talking about K-Electric, Agha Wasif said that where feeder losses are 40 percent, the KE was doing 2.5 hours load-shedding, at 25 percent losses it resorts to two hours and at 15 percent losses it resorts to one hour load-shedding.

Sharing the reasons of the load-shedding with cabinet, he said that peak demand in the country up to March 31, was 17970MW and in April 2017 it has come down to 15600MW. Another reason he counted is low recovery of dues from private consumers. The inefficiency of DISCO, weak transmission and distribution system and delayed maintenance of GENCOS are also contributing factors in prolonged load-shedding.

He also added the other reason behind the load-shedding are gap between determined tariff versus actual cost, circular debt as on March 31, is Rs 385 billion, dues of gas companies are estimated at Rs 125 billion, net payable IPPS more than Rs 100 billion and KE is idle of 400MW due to reduced supply of gas to K-Electric.

He said that SSGC used to supply of gas to K-Electric is at a critical level. In April, last year KE was getting 208mmcfd and at this time KE is getting only 120mmcfd. As a result, gas-based power generation capacity cannot be fully utilised by KE. This has created a shortfall of 400MW in the city. Therefore, load-shedding in city has also increased up to 6 hours.

Giving payment details made to HESCO and SEPCO against powers bills of the government department, Agha Wasif said that Rs 27.398 billion were to be paid as full and final settlement of all dues from July 2010 to July 2016. He added that so far Rs 22.83 billion, including of Rs 8.525 billion to HESCO and Rs 14.305 billion to SEPCO has been made. The current bill of Rs 1.069 billion (HESCO Rs513.73 million and SEPCO Rs 555.82 million) have also been cleared which are up to December 2016. On this, the chief minister directed the Finance and Energy secretary to clear all the remaining dues. "I want to see the bill at zero," he said.

It was also pointed out that KE power bill against KWSB from June 2016 to Feb 2017 was Rs 4.796 billion, the claims Rs 952 million arrears against KMC/CDGK. On this, the chief minister said the Sindh government was paying KWSB electricity bills every month.

Census: The provincial Census chief also briefed the cabinet about the second phase of census. On this, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon said that his house has not been counted so far. Only census team had visited him to count his family members and instead of asking him question mentioned in the questionnaire they asked me about the arms licences he has. On this, the chief minister asked him who asked him that question. He said it was Pakistan Navy man and he directed him to ask only relevant question. The chief minister directed the provincial census chief to convey the reservation of the cabinet to the census commissioner. The cabinet also expressed its reservation on keeping the counting secret from the concerned family members.

Water shortage: Secretary Irrigation Minister Jamal Shah briefing the cabinet said that early Kharif has started from April 1 to June June 10 and late kharif starts from June 11 to September 30. He said that the response to shortage has been made sagaciously. The drinking water is assigned priority by ensuring 4000 cusecs downstream Kotri. Rotation plan has been put in place and Irsa has been requested to open supplies from Punjnad and they allowed 4000 cusecs in March.

Talking about shortage during early kharif, the secretary Irrigation said that Irsa had anticipated 12 percent shortage but it has exceeded to 50 percent. On this, the chief minister said that the Irsa should give water share as per accord. During the shortage period no reservoir be filled. He urged Irsa to close all the link canals during the shortage period and fulfil Sindh's indent to save cotton crop.

Secretary Jamal Shah talking about emerging possibilities said that temperature is rising at Skardu. He said that yesterday it was 14.4 centigrade. Met office forecasts higher temperatures, low rains and sufficient melting of snow.

He said that inflows in Tarbella are improving to 27300 cusecs and Irsa has begun fulfilling indent obligations of Sindh. He said he was expected that the situation would improve by another 10 dailies subject to the condition that Skardu temperatures continue to rise.

The chief minister said that if there was a shortage of water in Tarbella then Irsa should give water to Sindh from Mangla. This demand of the chief minister was approved by the cabinet.

The Advocate General Sindh Zameer Ghumro briefed the cabinet about the verdict of the Sindh High Court in the case of IG Police. He said the court had observed that the cabinet had not approved the decision of surrendering the services of IG Police AD Khawaja and giving acting charge of the position to Abdul Majeed Dasti. On this the cabinet endorsed the decision—NNI