Wassan rejects IRSA’s formula
Sindh Agriculture Adviser Manzoor Hussain Wassan said that the province has rejected IRSA recently-devised distribution formula and demanded that water be given to the region under the 1991 water agreement. He said IRSA’s decision of a three-tier formula was unconstitutional, illegal and will destroy the crops of Sindh.
Manzoor Wassan asked the federal government why Sindh should bear a 28% water shortage and not the other provinces.
“By giving less water to Sindh in the Rabi Season, the federal Government wants to create an agricultural crisis.”
The adviser said IRSA had been giving less than half of Sindh’s share of water for 18 years.
“Who will account for this? IRSA, Punjab and WAPDA are involved in stealing the agricultural water of Sindh. The lives of ordinary people are also endangered below the Kotri and various diseases are spreading due to brackish water.
Read More: IRSA slashes provincial water share
Manzoor Hussain Wassan said because PTI governments ruled in K-P and Balouchistan, the province’s MPAs were supporting Punjab.
“The Imran Khan government has caused the most damage to agriculture in Sindh. The sector will lose billions of rupees.”
He said inadequate supply was being released to Sindh in Kharif, adding IRSA had now decided to give less water to Sindh in Rabi. “With this, the country’s food security will be severely affected.” Wassan said that under the IRSA Water Agreement 1991, Sindh should be provided 14.82 parts of water in the Rabi season.
He said that the federation wanted to destroy the crop of Sindh and make the lands barren by cutting off water.
He said that some crops survived due to the rains, but Sujawal and Badin would be destroyed in terms of coop production.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2021.