The bed of the River Indus has shrunk because two oil companies have illegally constructed embankments District Ghotki, that hinder smooth discharge of water, argued Sindh Irrigation and Power Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo on Monday while speaking at a press conference in his office. Dharejo said that the Oil and Gas Development Authority (OGDC) had erected a four-kilometres-long embankment on the Indus at Qadirpur during 1996-97 without seeking any permission from the Sindh Irrigation Department or the Indus River Commission. Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) had constructed an embankment on the right bank of the river, also without any permission, he said.
The minister said that both oil companies are national assets, but the government cannot put the lives of millions of people in jeopardy for the sake of protecting oil companies. Therefore, he added, the government has decided to remove these embankments and has contacted the relevant authorities at the oil companies. Dharejo said that the government was already working on the removal of Bandar Wall on the Indus in Sukkur, which posed a threat to the province’s third largest city. Responding to another question about threats of another super flood in the province, he said that the government cannot fuel rumours as the people of Sindh are already afraid because of last year’s destruction. This is the reason that they were not sowing fresh crops in their fields. However, he added, his department has declared an emergency by cancelling all staff leaves and they have been put on alert to face any emergency.
