Sindh Assembly demands abandonment of controversial project on CJ Link Canal.

Byline: Tahir Siddiqui

KARACHI -- The Sindh Assembly on Monday strongly condemned the federal government's decision of issuing a no-objection certificate to a power generation concern for developing a 25-megawatt hydropower project on the Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) Link Canal and adopted a unanimous resolution against it.

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on a point of order said that the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) had issued the NOC to CJ Hydropower (Pvt) Limited for developing a power project.

The CM sought permission from Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani for moving a resolution in the house against the federal government's decision, saying it was a matter of public importance.

After being granted permission, Aziz Junejo from the treasury benches moved the resolution, which was adopted unanimously by the members amid a little commotion by opposition lawmakers when they were not allowed to move their resolution on the matter.

The resolution read: 'This assembly categorically rejects the NOC given by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for the controversial hydropower plant on the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal. This move is against the wishes of the people of Sindh. This house had also passed a resolution on 20th January 2010 opposing this project.

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'The house wants to remind the Irsa and the federal authorities that even the water cannot be released in Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal throughout the year and Sindh is already facing acute shortage of water and thousands of acres of coastal land have been eroded by the sea. Hence, this move is unwarranted.

'This house recommends the government of Sindh to approach the federal government to take up this issue of blatant flouting of the agreement and address the justified grievances of the people of Sindh. This house further recommends that the controversial hydroelectric plant on the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal should be abandoned once and for all.'

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Earlier, the chief minister said that Sindh was already facing huge problems due to water shortages.

He said that Irsa issued an NOC to the power-generation company despite a strong protest and objection of the Irsa member form Sindh.

The chief minister said that he had on Oct 18 written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan for inducting an individual from Sindh to represent the Centre in Irsa.

He recalled that as per...