Sindh opposes Cholistan canals project from Indus River

KARACHI: Chief Minister of Sindh has opposed construction of Cholistan canals from Indus River in a letter written to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

“The CDWP illegally approved Cholistan canals project on October 11,” Sindh’s chief minister said in the letter expressing reservations over the canals project.

The federal canal being built from Sulemanki Headworks, which will get 4122 cusecs of water for four canals named as New Fatah Canal System, New Murad Canal System, New Hakra Canal System and New Haroon Canal System.

This water will be used to irrigate 6,10,000 acres of land in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar districts.

The Govt of Punjab got a letter of water availability from the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), but the Sindh’s representative didn’t agree with it.

Earlier, on February 7 this year, the ECNEC had approved a plan of the planning ministry with regard to the national irrigation network with the condition of issuance of the NOC from the IRSA and opinions from provinces.

The Sindh government has presented its case in the Council of Common Interest (CCI) over the proposed project of canals from the river.

Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah had also contacted with planning minister Ahsan Iqbal and requested him to defer the approval of the canals project until the CCI decides the matter.

Sindh had also raised objections over the project in the CDWP session, sources said.