It is being said that Kalabagh dam can be built only after developing a consensus. We need to revisit the Water Accord of 1991 in which many concessions were given to lower riparian Sindh. Distribution of river waters was taken away from Wapda and entrusted to the federal body IRSA which has a higher representation from Sindh. Provinces can only raise a 10 day indent of their requirement to IRSA and have no direct control over the supply to their canals. The canals in Punjab are already being monitored by engineers from the Sindh irrigation department. Sindh’s share was increased in all future dams by reducing Punjab’s share. Equal share of 37 percent for both despite the vast difference in population and area under cultivation. It must be remembered that Punjab cannot utilize even its reduced share of 37 percent without the left bank canal at Kalabagh dam. In fact north Punjab will not get any water from any dam on the Indus, be it Tarbela, Bhasha, Akhori, Skardu or Katzara dam. Two thirds of north Punjab will revert from irrigated to barani, with a 50 percent reduction in national food production.
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
