The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has been sabotaged by its management due to inexperience and being technology shy said the inquiru report presented by the panel. The panel had been constituted by the Federal Cabinet on June 20, 2020, comprising Deputy Chairman Jehanzeb Khan, Secretary Industries, Afzal Latif and Secretary Aviation Division, Hasan Nasir Jamy to inquire into the sabotage of the telemetry system or IRSA.
The report states that IRSA has not been able to put in place a system for monitoring the process for river flows and the PC-1 prepared by IRSA for installation of telemetry system was deficient with regard to defining various hydraulic conditions experienced at barrages.
The panel further observed that selection of local consultant (M/S Nespak) and the contractor (M/s Siemens Pakistan) in 2002 was not appropriate as a project of this level of sophistication should have been given to a reputed international firm. It has been recommended by the panel that performance audit of IRSA should be conducted through a reputed management consultancy firm and it must be ensured that IRSA has the leadership and competence to not only install the Telemetry System but steer the authority through much-needed reforms and restructuring.
