HYDERABAD: Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda has lambasted the Sindh government for not taking over control of Darawat Dam built by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) during the PPP government.

He said Rs11 billion were spent on the dam, but the money was being wasted because of nondevelopment of command area of the channels emanating from the dam.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Darawat dam in Jamshoro on Monday, he said the Sindh government did not develop command area on 25,000 acres of land to be fed from off-taking channels of the dam, which required an expenditure of Rs1.25bn. He said that half of that command area involved disputed properties and the Sindh government was directly responsible for that.

Wapda had spent funds on the dam under the PPP regime, he said, adding that neither the federal nor provincial governments took interest regarding the dam operation in the last eight years. He said that if the purpose of the dam was lost for want of Rs1.25bn, his ministry would prepare a feasibility for it.

He made it clear that if the Sindh government did not take over the dam, the federal government would complete the remaining component of the project under public-private partnership.

He maintained that under another option, an amusement park could be built around the dam or its water could be supplied to Karachi.He said that a Chinese company af ter completion of dam in 2014 handed it over to Wapda in August last year and since then the Sindh government had been refusing to take over its control for operation from Wapda. He said that Sindh government`s contention was that it lacked capacity to run the dam. When the Sindh government did not have the capacity, why did they have it built, he asked.

The minister discussed the issue of alleged water theft by tanker mafia from Hub Dam in Karachi. He was of the view that the federal government would certainly take action if the Sindh government did not put an end to the theft.

He asserted that water thef t led to shortage of water in Karachi with the result that consumers paid exorbitant rates to buy water from tanker mafia.

Referring to the Sindh government on the water thef t issue in Karachi, he said the provincial government must address it, otherwise he knew how to tighten the valve and then they (Sindh government) would be crying foul on the ground of 18th Amendment.

Claiming that the Sindh government had played havoc after 18th Amendment, he said that while people of Sindh were dying of starvation, the provincial government was `staging dramas`. He said the Sindh government was committing injustice against the people of Karachi over water issue. He, however, said that Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani had assured him that he would support his initiative to check water theft. The minister asserted that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB)was also involved in that crime. He said that he would also discuss the issue with Sindh chief minister, corps commander of Karachi, director general of Rangers Sindh, Sindh police IG and Karachi police chief.

He said he would also approach the chief justice of Pakistan in that regard. He believed the people of Karachi purchased water which was actually stolen by tanker mafia from Hub Dam.

He observed that federal government had the power to regulate water distribution and those powers were with him.

In reply to a question about implementation of 1991 water accord, he said that if water theft was committed at the head, how irrigation water would reach tail-end areas.

He said the federal government was committed to provision of water to Sindh, but water theft in the irrigation system had to be curbed.

He said that powerful landowners stole water of the tail-end growers. He said that 18 big fish were involved in water thef t.

The minister said the Sindh government would submit a PC-I regarding K-IV water project for approval.

The minister disclosed that a fraud had also surfaced in Nai Gaaj dam project involving Rs26bn. He said a contractor in that project had provided fake bank guarantees and asserted that his ministry would refer the case to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He stated that there was no party directive to roll back 18th Amendment.

Earlier, Wapda (South) general manager Naeem Arif briefed the minister and media about Darawat dam.