Canal Irrigation System In Balochistan || بلوچستان کا آبپاشی نظام

#Balochistan #pakistan #irrigationsystem #canalirrigation
Naseerabad division is the only division in Balochistan that is irrigated through the river waters that reach Balochistan from Khirthar and Pat-feeder canals under the Water Apportionment Accord signed on March 21, 1991. The said Accord was signed in the wake of inter-provincial disputes, which date back to the British era, over water distribution mechanism from Indus Basin Water System.
Prior to the agreement, water allocation among the provinces was made on ad hoc basis among the provinces annually, leading to perennial disputes on water. As per this understanding among the provinces under the Accord, Balochistan was given 3% share in the Indus Water Basin System. Moreover, The Indus System River Authority (IRSA) was established in 1992 through an Act of Parliament so that it could implement the Accord as per the understanding. The said distribution mechanism sustains the agriculture system of the country which includes crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry and accounted for 19.8 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of 2015-16 and is a source of livelihood for 42.3 percent of Pakistan’s labour. Out of 27 percent land that is cultivated in Pakistan, 63 % is cultivated by Punjab and 18 % by Sindh and less than 7 % by Balochistan despite being the largest province of the country territorially, making 43 % of entire Pakistan’s territory.
The reason for this low cultivation in Balochistan originates from lack of necessary infrastructure to make even the meager 3% share of the water reach the province justifiably.
Under the Accord’s entitlements, this vast province falls as lower riparian of Sindh on Khirther and Pat Feeder Canals which draw water from Guddu and Sukkur Barrages, respectively. There are universal evidences that the upper riparian territories have a tendency to take larger than their due share. This has been true in case of Sindh and the matter has repeatedly been taken on the forum of Council of Common Interests (CCI) and also with Sindh authorities on issues of water theft by Sindh. Nevertheless, even if Sindh doesn’t make infringements on the said canals, Balochistan will still need large infrastructure to get its due share of water and make around 0.7 million acres of land cultivable in Naseerabad Division.
The large tracks of land, laying barren and virgin, can make, not only the province but also the entire country food sufficient and Balochistan’s share has been infringed on various grounds by design to persist illegal use of Balochistan’s share of water by other provinces. There are fears that with the continued discriminatory policy, Balochistan will slip into a serious food deficit. The lack of interest from the federal authorities can be well gauged in the tale of Kacchi Canal which is an apt case in point. The project was envisaged in 2002with a cost of Rs 31.204 billion with a canal capacity of 6,000 cusecs and was due to complete in June 2008. However, 18 years on, only phase-1 of the project has seen the light of the day which was completed in September 2017. The completed phase irrigates 72000 acres of land in district Dera Bugti and is also marred by the allegations of use of sub-standard material and large scams in the utilization of funds.
Phase-II which is set to irrigate 216,000 acres Bolan and Naseerabad, and Phase-III which will irrigate 344,000 acres of land in district Bolan, Naseerabad and Jhal Magsi still await completion or even consideration thereof. The cost of the project has jumped now to Rs 80,352 billion. According to different estimates, if completed, it will provide jobs to 0.2 million people in Balochistan and will tremendously boost the standards of life, economy and trade in the province. It will also promote the live-stock sector, one of the major pillars of Balochistan’s economy. The said sector is permanently dependent upon grazing in rangelands. Therefore, to meet the fodder needs of their cattle, the farmers from Central Balochistan migrate in extreme spell of winter to lower lands in Sibi and Kachhi plains for the purpose of grazing their flocks. If Kachhi Canal is completed, the agriculture will see a boom in these barren lands, resulting in boost to economy, improvements in physical environment including atmosphere, climate, water and definitely improvement in quality of life, resulting in betterment in socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions of the general masses. It is also estimated that the project, if completed fortunately, will generate a crop benefit of Rs. 5 billion per year. Provincial Government should take the matter of completion of this project actively with Federal Government to change things for the people of this hapless province for good.