Canals Project: SHC suspends IRSA's water availability certificate

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday suspended the water availability certificate for canals issued by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA).

The high court was hearing a petition filed by Senator Zameer Ghumro, challenging constitution of the IRSA and issuance of the water availability certificate for canals.

Federal government requested time from the court to submit its reply. The high court summoned a detailed reply from the government on April 18.

Petitioner said that the federal member from Sindh not being nominated in the IRSA.
The constitution of the river authority has been illegal. After its illegal constitution all decisions of the authority are unlawful, petitioner said.

The water availability certificate was issued on January 24, for construction of Thall Canal phase II and Cholistan Canal.

Advocate General Sindh said that the construction work of the canals should be stopped after the court’s restraining order.

Despite Sindh’s strong opposition, the Irsa had greenlighted water supply to the Cholistan Canal System project and issued a water availability certificate to the Punjab government for the project.

The authority’s Sindh member penned a note of dissent expressing disagreement over the approval.

Almost all political and religious parties, nationalist groups and civil society organisations have staged widespread rallies across Sindh against the controversial canal project.