Balochistan and Sindh entered into a row over water share, with the former accusing Sindh of not providing it its due share in the recent Kharif season.
The allegation was levelled at a meeting of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) advisory committee on Friday, under the body’s chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan, to decide the water availability during the Rabi season.
Irsa, however, claimed it was releasing Balochistan’s full share.
Participants at the meeting decided that the body would mediate and conduct joint measurements to resolve the dispute
“Irsa’s team will visit for joint measurement and the expenditure will be borne by both Sindh and Baluchistan,” sources said.
Shortfall in Rabi
Irsa’s projection of a 10% water shortfall in the upcoming Rabi season was shot down by the provinces, whose representatives insisted that the country would face a 15% shortfall, despite prolonged rains.
The projected shortfall would be shared by Sindh and Punjab, sources said, adding that Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have been exempted from it.
The advisory committee estimated that a total of 34 million acre feet (MAF) of water would be available during the Rabi season, between October 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012, against an estimated requirement of 36 MAF.
Twenty-two MAF of water is expected in the Indus river system through river inflows while 12 MAF would be available in the major reservoirs of the country, including Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma, according to initial estimates.
Meanwhile, Pakistan lost 12 MAF of water during the recent Kharif season which eventually fell into the sea, Khan said, adding that the country needs to build big reservoirs like the Bhasha dam.
“The country needs to build at least 22MAF of water storage,” he said.
Water released for hydropower
The provinces objected to release of additional water from Tarbela and Mangla, which, as the chairman explained later, was on the federal government’s request to overcome the power shortfall.
“A total 100,000 cusecs of water was released from Tarbela and Mangla during the last three days,” he Khan said.
Following the objections, however, Irsa decided to reduce the additional water releases.
“Irsa had decided to release additional water for three days only and now the water outflow from Tarbela and Mangla has been reduced,” Irsa’s spokesperson Khalid Idrees Rana told The Express Tribune.
The chairman said he ordered the release of additional water using his authority. He said he had informed Punjab and Sindh’s irrigation secretaries, but isn’t required to seek provinces’ permission prior to such releases.
Water stored in these reservoirs is for agricultural purposes, but as per Irsa Act, it could be used for hydropower generation when required, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ