The Sindh irrigation ministry urged the Indus River System Authority (ISRA) to release extra water as the province observes a dip in its water flow that could impact its barrages.
Looking at the water shortage in the country, the Pakistan National Assembly’s standing committee is scheduled to meet on Friday and take up the water issues of the provinces as well as the recently conducted flow measurement at barrages, Dawn newspaper reported.
In Sindh, the Tarbela Dam, which was the primary source of water supply to Sindh, since May 23 remains at a dead level, according to the May 20 Irsa announcement.
“The dip in inflows of Tarbela and Kabul river passes its impact to Chashma Barrage that serves as a reservoir of sorts,” Sukkur Barrage control room in-charge, Abdul Aziz Soomro, told the publication over the phone. Low inflows at Chashma eventually impact Sindh’s barrages.
“Chashma downstream had the highest flows until recently as a maximum and constant outflow of 122,000 cusecs was observed there between May 16 and 18 before it gradually dropped to 119,000 cusecs on May 19,” he maintained. A 10-day dip continued till May 29 (75,032 cusecs) before the reservoir attained the dead level of 638.15ft. And then it rose to 84,617 cusecs on May 30.
Such a dip passes its impact to Sindh’s barrages, as Guddu showed a low upstream discharge of 55,776 cusecs on June 2 after reporting a maximum of 71,915 cusecs on May 27, according to Dawn.
As the dip started to show its impact, the percentage-wise shortage at its barrages started to increase gradually, which had dropped to its lowest on May 29.
Meanwhile, in Punjab, the canal system faced a 49 per cent water shortage. According to the data, Taunsa Barrage needs 25,000 cusecs of water but was running with a 72pc shortage, as only 7,000 cusecs are available there. At Panjnad Barrage, the shortage is 65pc, and 20pc at Trimmu Barrage
Punjab Irrigation Department Spokesperson said that Lower Bahawal Canal also faced a 36 per cent water shortage, reported Dawn.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the Sindh irrigation department had written to the Irsa chairman to sort the disparity in water distribution and seek additional flows. (ANI)
