THE first phase of the Cholistan Canal project has stirred fresh acrimony between Sindh and Punjab. Sindh’s government, political parties and civil society are denouncing the project. The criticism has found expression in protest rallies, sit-ins and seminars in the province. Sindh’s chief minister and irrigation minister have condemned the project in unambiguous terms. But despite this criticism from the PPP-led provincial government itself, the project was endorsed by the president, the former PPP co-chairperson, in July this year, drawing the ire of the public.
The province’s objections were overruled at a meeting of the Central Development Working Party last month. The CDWP disregarded Sindh’s dissent and referred the project to Ecnec (the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) for further consideration. This prompted a perturbed Sindh chief minister to express his concerns to Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The Sindh government had earlier submitted a summary to the Council of Common Interests, challenging the project on technical grounds. According to the Sindh government, the CDWP and Ecnec should not consider the project until the CCI takes a decision on Sindh’s position.
The Cholistan Canal is designed to divert 4,120 cusecs of water from Sulemanki Barrage on the Sutlej river to Fort Abbas, which lies at a distance of 176 kilometres. It will feed the 120km-long Marot Canal, which will transport the water eastward. This canal will fan out to irrigate 452,000 acres of desert land in Cholistan through 452km of distributaries and minor........