Flood Water Removed from Sindh and Balochistan After Nearly a Year

Dewatering of flood water from Sindh and Balochistan has been completed. This information was reported by the Ministry of Water Resources to the Standing Committee on Water Resources in its recent meeting. The Standing Committee was apprised that dewatering of flood water was the duty of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

However, the provincial departments and NDMA have jointly completed the task of dewatering. NDMA paid Rs. 250 million to the relevant provincial department of Balochistan. As a result, the dewatering in the Naseerabad Division was completed. Similarly, 159 dewatering pumps were provided to the relevant provincial department of Sindh. Hence, 99% of dewatering was completed in the province.

However, in a few lowlands, some water is still there. The Standing Committee was informed that during the current year, the Advisory Committee of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) predicted for 27% shortage of water. But actually, 20% more water shortage took place as of the predicted water. So, the shortage of water is proportionately distributed among different federating units.

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Water Resources Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur directed that  Water Apportionment Accord 1991 be acted upon in letter and spirit. He further declared that any mistake, laziness, or violation of the law shall not be tolerated at all. The Standing Committee was informed that due to blockage in the water discharge tunnel of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project, the project was closed in 2022 and a loss of billions of rupees was incurred.

However, the repair of maintenance work is rapidly in progress and more than 75% of the work has been completed. However, the rest of the work shall be completed in eight weeks and thereafter, the project including power generation shall be started. The Standing Committee asked regarding compensation for the loss of the closure of the project. The Standing Committee also asked about the responsible, if any, for the loss.

The Project Director, Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project informed the Standing Committee that the project was insured. So, they had already sent a claim of more than 41 billion rupees to concerned insurance companies. The Standing Committee directed that the claim be properly followed-up and the Standing Committee should be updated, regularly.

The meeting of the Standing Committee on Water Resources was presided over by its Chairman Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur and attended by the Members of the National Assembly; Engr. Sabir Hussain Kaim Khani, Ms. Nuzhat Pathan, Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi, Mir Munawar Ali Talpur, Syed Hussain Tariq, and Mr. Muhammad Mohsin Leghari. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Chairman and Members, IRSA, and senior officers of the Ministry of Water Resources, IRSA, Irrigation Departments, and WAPDA.