AGRICULTURAL productivity in Sindh is reportedly under grave threat. This is because vast farmlands are likely to become barren. Also, the silting of Tarbela, Chashma and Mangla dams is reducing their capacity to store water and leading todecreased water release.
Although these adverse changes are likely to impact all provinces, the issue has not received any attention during the last three decades. It was politicized according to plan because of ill-informed politicians and then, a large, incessant investment on the subject by India.
The Awami National Party provided the lead by turning it into a political campaign and succeeded in generating a lobby of sympathisers in Sindh who found champions who were motivated, in turn, by the ill-informed forum at the Sindh Graduate Association.
The above observations I quote are based on a study by Barkat Ali Luna, an engineer and water management expert who was associated with the World Bank.
Those in powerful positions are requested to pay immediate attention and reconsider the Sindh government`s position on this subject because the gravity of the situation warrants action without any further loss of time.
