Irsa's nod for powerhouse on CJ Link Canal widens Centre-Sindh gulf.

Byline: Mohammad Hussain Khan

HYDERABAD -- While controversy over nomination of a federal member in the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) from Sindh is not yet resolved by the federal government, another dispute hit Sindh after Irsa issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Punjab to establish 25MW powerhouse on the Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) Link Canal, which Sindh fears may virtually make CJ a perennial channel.

It has given rise to acrimony between Punjab and Sindh, the lower riparian in the Indus River system, once again. Sindh's member in Irsa Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, a retired civil servant, has given his dissenting note on the proposal that has been incorporated in the NOC issued on Oct 18.

Irsa had surprisingly first declined to issue an NOC in its Oct 9 meeting for the project in view of a 3:2 majority vote. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member had subscribed to Sindh's view in the meeting that the CJ was an interprovincial canal, according to the meeting's minutes. 'The Irsa chairman agreed with the contention of member Sindh,' read Oct 9 minutes.

But then a sudden change of heart was seen in the Oct 17 meeting after all provincial members disagreed with the view of Sindh's member and Irsa issued the NOC. 'God knows better what prompted the member KP and member Balochistan/Irsa chairman to change their views suddenly,' said Sindh's member.

'CJ Link Canal is an interprovincial canal and as such it does not come under purview of Irsa,' said the NOC document. It appeared that it is a conditional NOC which said that 'however, Irsa does not commit or guarantee any water releases exclusively for power generation in CJ Link Canal'.

Given history of water disputes between upper riparian Punjab and Sindh, such an NOC has not gone well with Sindh. 'We believe it an attempt to convert CJ Link Canal into a perennial canal to enable Punjab [to] draw water from river Indus in the garb of its share at a cost of shortage in Sindh,' said an irrigation officer who is well-versed in Sindh's water issues.

The decision for the NOC was taken with 4:1 majority vote as member Punjab, federal member (who is chairman of the Federal Flood Commission in the absence of permanent member), member KP and Irsa chairman cast votes in favour of the NOC.

According to Mr Shah, the Irsa chairman casts his vote when there is a tie. 'Since three votes went for the NOC, the chairman voted for it too. So mine's was the only [one] against it,' said Mr Shah. Sindh's member observed that...

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