Rs770m flood-fighting bill raises questions in Sindh

Rs770m flood-fighting bill raises questions in Sindh

A demand for more than Rs770 million in “flood-fighting” expenses has raised questions within the Sindh government, despite the province not experiencing a major flood emergency in 2025.

The Sindh Irrigation Department has approached the chief minister for approval to release over Rs770 million in liabilities for emergency protection works reportedly carried out under the “Flood Fighting 2025” programme. However, sources familiar with the matter have alleged that some of the works listed in official documents were either not executed or their scope and costs were overstated.

According to a departmental summary, the expenditure claims originated from a report prepared by a committee headed by Chief Engineer Junaid Talpur. A central technical committee later reviewed and cleared the claimed expenses, while concerned chief engineers reportedly certified the bills after verification.

The department has justified its request for additional funds by citing a significant increase in construction and operational costs following the introduction of the Composite Schedule of Rates (CSR) 2024. Officials maintain that higher prices of cement, steel, diesel, machinery and labour increased the cost of carrying out emergency irrigation works.

The justification, however, has come under scrutiny from irrigation experts and agriculture representatives, who have questioned whether such a large expenditure was necessary in the absence of a major flood crisis.

Mir Abdul Karim Talpur, Secretary Information of the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, has called for an independent third-party audit to determine whether the claimed works were actually completed. He also suggested using satellite imagery to verify construction and protection activities at the sites mentioned in the official documents.

Sources alleged that some projects described as emergency embankment protection works did not take place at several locations. They further claimed that expenses related to construction materials, fuel, machinery and labour were included in the bills submitted for approval.

The Irrigation Department, however, maintains that the additional funding reflects genuine increases in input costs and that the claims went through the required technical scrutiny before being submitted to the chief minister.

The controversy has emerged alongside a broader funding shortfall faced by the department. For the 2025-26 financial year, the Irrigation Department has reportedly sought Rs100 billion for region-wise maintenance and related activities. Against this demand, the Finance Department has released Rs32.543 billion, representing roughly 32% of the requested amount.

The departmental summary also states that the Irrigation Department received a combined Rs30.444 billion over the previous five years. The figures include spending associated with the devastating floods of 2022, which caused widespread damage across Sindh.

The latest dispute has therefore placed renewed focus on how emergency irrigation expenditures are assessed, verified and funded, particularly when authorities seek large allocations for works carried out during periods without a major flood emergency.