General Council of Sindh Abadgar Board expressed its grave concern over the non-implementation of Water Accord 91, and added that it has reached to a point of economic confrontation between the federating units.
The general council, which met under the chairmanship of its President Majeed Nizamani was of the view that on account of non-implementation of Water Accord, the lower riparian, particularly Sindh, has sustained production losses to the tune of Rs 100 billion during the past five years according to official statistics which had brought the rural economy on the brink of disaster.
The general council unanimously demanded that the water accord should be implemented in letter and spirit and study on the fresh water requirement downstream of Kotri barrage should be carried out without further delay.
The council also demanded that the Sindh agriculture sector should be compensated for its losses so that the economic situation could improve.
The council maintained that no controversial water project on the River Indus may be initiated and instead the pace of lining of watercourses should be accelerated to save 56.65 million acre feet (MAF) water.
The general council also demanded that an inquiry should be initiated against those responsible for imperfect design of Left Bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD), which caused billions of rupees losses.
It also demanded that the draining of affluent water contaminated with industrial wastes of upcountry through Sindh should be stopped forthwith as it has proved detrimental to lands of Sindh.
In another resolution the general council expressed its deep concern over the shortage of wheat and demanded that a study should be carried out to ascertain the causes of shortage of essential commodities.