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Irsa chairman suddenly takes long leave

Posted on: Wed June 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD: In a major development amid existing inter-provincial water controversies, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) chairman has suddenly gone on long leave, handing over the charge to the Punjab member, who was earlier withdrawn by his province in protest against the decisions on water distribution.

The story does not finish with Irsa Chairman Amin Gul Khattak s leave but much more is ahead with the Punjab and Sindh sticking to their positions on water-sharing, opening/closing of the Chashma Jehlum Link Canal and upcoming briefing of the authority to the southern Punjab parliamentarians.

 The first-ever decision to discharge 125,000 cusecs daily against previously 115,000 cusecs from the Tarbela Dam is taken by three out of total five Irsa members without the participation of acting chairman Shafqat Masud, official sources told The News.

As Masud refused to be the part of the decision, federal, Sindh and Balochistan members issued the orders to enhance the water releases from Tarbela, which the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is bound to implement from today (Wednesday) onwards, they maintain.

At the same time, the Irsa is scheduled to give a briefing to the southern Punjab MNAs today (Wednesday) about opening or keeping closed the CJ link canal as Sindh is opposed to start of water discharge for it. The Punjab s position is to open the link immediately.

 Masud told the Irsa officials that he deliberately stayed away from the meeting held on Tuesday as he wants to run the authority only up to administrative affairs and not to sit on water-sharing decisions till holding the acting charge, the officials said.

Irsa Chairman Khattak, a representative of the Khyber-Pakhtun-khawa in the water regulator, went on a six-month leave last Monday, giving charge to the Punjab member. It is unclear whether the Punjab representative would stick to administrative affairs and continue to avoid water distribution sessions.

Masud, who has taken over the charge after he remained on protest over Sindh s two representatives (one regular and second federal member who is compulsorily taken from Sindh under the Irsa Act), confirmed that he was not part of the decision to increase water releases from Tarbela Dam.

 I have been given the charge of chairmanship because of the sequence-wise appointments of the chairmen under the Irsa Act, and that Khattak S H. has mentioned his health problems in his leave for six months, he said.

Asked about absence in the latest Irsa meeting and his plan to brief the MNAs scheduled briefing, he said he would attend the meeting with the parliamentarians and inform them about the water situation, including on the CJ link.

 Why you are asking me when you have information, he said with laughter, when pressed to know about his non-participation in the first meeting after he took over the charge formally.The acting Irsa chairman described as correct the information when asked for a confirmation or denial about the two-day developments in the water regulator.

Courtesy : The News