Move comes after WAPDA fails to fill Tarbela Dam to its peak.
PHOTO: FILE
Blaming the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for failure to fill the Tarbela reservoir to its peak of 1,550 feet, Irsa said Wapda did not take prompt action after the regulator’s request of July 28 for filling the reservoir to its capacity.
Officials said Wapda could not fill the dam because it released more water against the demand from provinces for generating hydroelectric power in a bid to minimise load-shedding in the summer season.
Consequently, water releases for both Punjab and Sindh were reduced by 69,000 cusecs, Irsa spokesman Khalid Rana said after the decision was taken in an emergency meeting on Monday.
The meeting was presided over by Irsa Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan and was attended by all its members. General Manager Tarbela was also present on behalf of Wapda chairman.
The meeting reviewed the water situation in the Indus River, Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs and expressed grave concern over the storage level in Tarbela. The meeting was called in the aftermath of reduction in flows from the Indus River and failure to fill Tarbela to just 1,541.47 feet, more than eight feet less than the peak level.
The water flow in the river at Tarbela fell to 145,000 cusecs while 150,000 cusecs were released.
“To store one foot of water in the Tarbela reservoir, they need 30,000 to 35,000 cusecs for 24 hours above the provinces’ demand for 150,000 cusecs,” the spokesman added.
“Irsa has already taken up the issue at an appropriate forum regarding the filling of Tarbela,” he said.
In a meeting of the Federal Flood Commission held last week, the Irsa chairman had complained to Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif about the role of Wapda.
In a letter written earlier this month, the Irsa chairman had asked Wapda to fill the Tarbela Dam as early as possible given the ‘bumpy’ monsoon rains.
The letter said the filling should be undertaken as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) so that water levels could reach the maximum of 1,550 feet. According to the SOP, one to four feet of water can be stored in the dam in a day.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 23rd, 2016.
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