KARACHI – The Sindh Assembly (SA) through unanimously adopting a resolution on Thursday demanded the federal government to immediately release Rs 16 billion to the provincial irrigation department for early plugging of breaches in the embankments of Indus River and canals, and other irrigation projects.
The resolution was moved by Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo.
He told the house that a meeting of the Indus River Commission had approved Rs 16 billion for 70 developmental schemes but the federal government was yet to release the funds.
“Plugging the breaches of the last floods at the earliest is a must; otherwise, the coming flood season would be more devastating,” he added.
Earlier, PPP lawmaker Jam Tamachi – also the Public Accounts Committee chairman – drew the speaker’s attention towards the dire reputation of the irrigation department. Speaking on a point of order, he said there had been several complaints of corruption in the department. All other parties including the MQM should be taken on board in this regard, as the PPP would get a bad name in case it handles the issue solely, he added.
It is worth mentioning that the inquiry report of the two-member commission to probe breaches in Tori and MS Bunds during the floods had also questioned the efficiency of the irrigation officials. The report submitted to Sindh government had attributed ‘collective negligence’ on part of the Sindh irrigation department in maintenance and strengthening of protective Indus River embankments.
“The breaches may have been caused due to unprecedented high flood but at the same time, adequate measures taken in advance could have avoided such breaches,” the tribunal comprising Justice (r) Zahid Kurban Alvi and Justice (r) Ghulam Nabi Soomro had commented in the 225-page report.
Yes to own interests, no to people’s problems: People sitting in the Sindh Assembly galleries were stunned when senior PPP member Syed Bachal Shah insisted on presenting the standing committee’s report in favour of increasing salaries, allowances and privileges of MPAs, provincial ministers and advisers, but sought extension in presenting the report on a motion to examine and recommend proposals for action against producers of contaminated bottled mineral water. Shah is the chairman of Standing Committee on Law, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights.
The house had sent separate bills regarding increase in salaries, allowances and privileges of Sindh ministers, MPAs, advisers and special assistants, and speaker and deputy speaker of the provincial assembly in 2008 and 2009.
He insisted upon Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro for allowing him to present the report on these bills which was refused by the speaker, saying that it would be listed in the agenda according to the procedure.
Shah is also the chairman of the special committee constituted on a motion moved by the MQM’s Syed Sardar Ahmed pertaining ‘to examine and recommend proposals to take action against producers and suppliers of contaminated bottled mineral water,’ which was constituted in September 2010.
This particular report was also on Thursday’s agenda but Shah moved a motion seeking extension of the date for presenting the report until the next assembly session.
The house, though, unanimously agreed to defer the public issue.
