Senate Committee Calls for Urgent Action and Complete Data on River Encroachments to Prevent Flooding Risks
Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources held a crucial meeting today under the chairmanship of Senator Shahadat Awan to discuss the compliance upon recommendations of the Committee made in its previous meetings and audit paras related to WAPDA pending with public accounts Committee and departmental accounts committees. It was observed by the Chairman committee that the agenda regarding WAPDA would be adjourned till next meeting due to the absence of Chairman WAPDA in the meeting. Govt committed to improving agriculture sector: Aurangzeb
However, the Committee took up the matter regarding compliance by the MOWR to the recommendations of the Committee. Beside other issues, directed to the ministry for compliance the matter regarding land encroachments near rivers and canals waa discussed in detail. The meeting, attended by Federal Minister for Water Resources, Musadik Malik, and Secretary of Water Resources, focused on the alarming extent of encroachments across various provinces and the urgent need for action to prevent potential flooding disasters.
The Committee was presented with details on encroachments, which have been a major concern for the country’s flood management efforts. According to the briefing, provinces like Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan have seen increasing occupation of lands near rivers and canals, raising fears of exacerbated flooding during monsoon seasons.
Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan emphasized the importance of clarity in dealing with encroachments. “We need to know how many cases of land occupation are pending in the courts and where exactly these encroachments have occurred. If there were no encroachments, the flood situation would not have been so alarming,” he stated.
The Committee noted that in KPK, 153 encroachments were reported, with 87 having already been removed. Punjab has also seen 153 encroachments near rivers, while Sindh has reported 26 cases, of which 11 have been removed. However, the committee was concerned that details from Balochistan were still not available.
To enhance monitoring, the Federal Minister for Water Resources, suggested the involvement of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) for satellite surveillance to track encroachments more effectively. “SUPARCO would help us monitor encroachments more accurately, providing a clear view of the situation,” said Malik.
The Committee has directed the provincial governments to provide full details on the location and extent of encroachments, ensuring that such information is presented at the next meeting. Chairman Awan reiterated the need for transparency: “Complete details of encroachments should be presented before the committee in our next meeting.”
Despite receiving a briefing, the Committee members expressed concern over the insufficient information provided, particularly regarding the specification of where the encroachments have occurred. Senator Faisal Saleem highlighted the severe implications, noting that “Hotels in Swat were washed away by floods, and only then did we realize that encroachments were a key factor.” He added, “This information was gathered via satellite; we did not visit the sites ourselves.”
The meeting concluded with the Senate Committee calling for a follow-up discussion on the recommendations uttered in previous meetings. Members emphasized that adequate data and proper measures need to be taken to prevent further flooding and land encroachments.
The Committee called for a detailed response from all provincial governments to ensure proper monitoring and removal of illegal encroachments. With the help of satellite data, the issue of encroachments can now be tracked and managed more effectively to mitigate future flood risks.
The meeting was attended by Senators Faisal Saleem Rahman, Saadia Abbasi, Tahir Khalil and poonjo Bheel alongside representatives of attached departments of Ministry of Water Resources.
