RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said on Tuesday that the Sindh government had allowed water for twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the condition that Karachi would also be given additional 1200 cusecs of water for domestic use.

“Since Karachi has accommodated people from all the provinces, Karachi’s fresh requirement of water should also be shared by all the provinces,” he said presiding over a preparatory meeting at the New Secretariat regarding the meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) to be held in Islamabad on April 28. Provincial Minister for Law Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Special Assistant to CM on IPC Taimore Talpur, Chief secretary Rizwan Memon, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Irrigation Syed Jamal Shah, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif, Secretary IPC department Aijaz Mangi, Secretary Forest Manzoor Shaikh and other concerned officers.

Secretary Irrigation Syed Jamal Shah said that presently 1200 cusecs of water from River Indus was required for K-IV project (Karachi), the requirement would reach to 1800 cusecs by 2020 and 2400 cusecs by 2025.

On this, Murad Shah said that all the provinces should share this requirement on the pattern the provincial governments did to provide water for Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Discussing the supply of gas to localities in five kilometres radius of gas producing fields, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif said that there are 347 villages located near gas producing fields. The federal government is of the view that the provincial government should share the expenditure, in this connection. He said that total cost of the gas connection to 347 villages would be Rs3591 million, out of which SSGC would invest Rs747 million and the remaining amount of Rs2844 million would be borne by Sindh government.

On this, the chief minister reiterated his earlier stand that in pursuance of Supreme Court judgment and prime minister’s directives the federal government should bear total cost of gas pipelines for villages located in 5 kilometres radius of gas producing fields.

He also said that he would manage to provide gas to other villages which are within the district of gas producing fields.

Talking about short supplies of water in Pat Feeder and Khirthar Canals, the secretary irrigation said that the claim of Balochistan is not justified as there is no legal provision under 1991 Water Accord for monetary compensation on account of alleged short supplies of water. The chief minister said he was ready to begin third party monitoring with consensus of both the provinces. Jamal Shah also presented a report to the chief minister that 83 unauthorised outlets in Guddu Barrage command divert water to Balochistan which is in addition to their share.

National Water Policy: Jamal Shah further said that Ministry of Water and Power had revised the draft National Water Policy on December 2, 2016. Only two points of Sindh Irrigation department have been incorporated in the revised policy. On this Murad Shah said that the important points such as securing katcha area and their economy, preserving delta area by providing sufficient supplies regularly; rain water disposal arrangement in plains where it could not be disposed of or diverted in the river, should also be incorporated.

He called for evolving strong administrative machinery with judicial/ policing mechanism to assist provincial irrigation departments regarding the proper delivery to do justice to the tail-enders. He said water allocations sanctioned for the project have sanctity and these should not be changed. He said that to ensure tail-enders rights, new law enabling special ‘water courts,’ if needed, might be established.

The chief minister also said that the effluent coming from Balochistan and Punjab have destroyed lands in Qambar-Shahdadkot and Ghotki districts. He said this may be put on the agenda that no untreated effluent would be accepted. Therefore, there should a clear policy that the effluent draining down in Sindh be treated first.

On a proposal from Secretary Energy Agha Wasif, Chief Minister Murad Shah said that the Sindh government may claim ‘net profit’ from the electricity generated through natural gas produced from the fields located in Sindh irrespective of power plants location.

Establishment of Fiscal Coordination Committee: The Sindh government accords concurrence to the establishment of fiscal coordination committee. This committee would provide a forum to highlight the unauthorized and arbitrary deductions made by FBR from Sindh government’s account.

The agenda of the CCI meeting to be held in Islamabad on April 28 includes matters pertaining to higher education and other similar bodies, formulation of National Flood Protection Plan IV, import of LNG, sixth population and housing census; National Forest Policy 2015; Amendment to the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act 1997; Supply of gas to localities/villages in 5 kilometres radius of gas producing fields, short supplies of water in Pat Feeder and Khirthar Canals, allocation of 1200 cusecs (650.5 MGD) additional water for Karachi city (K-IV) project and others.