Pakistan - News and Discussion 6

[Naresh]

<b>Tarbela calling: eight days of water left!</b>

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is staring at another setback with massive cut in water supplies. Only eight days supply of water is left in the Tarbela dam, The News learnt on Thursday. ”The shortage in water supplies to the Punjab and Sindh will further surge over 50 per cent after eight days if the ongoing declining trend in water inflows continues in Indus River,” one of the Irsa members revealed.

According to daily water-sheet, released by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), the water level in Tarbela has alarmingly declined to just 0.791 million acre feet (MAF) which can cater to the irrigational needs of the federating units only for eight days as every day 0.1

MAF water is being released from the reservoir to the Punjab and Sindh. The Punjab and Sindh are already experiencing 19 per cent reduction in the existing water supplies that will jack up over 50 per cent if the mercury in the catchment area of Indus River does not rise.

In case 50 per cent cut in water supplies to the Punjab and Sindh is materialised then the rice sowing, which is currently at peak, will be in danger and the country will witness reduction in agriculture growth next time as the cotton sowing has already been affected in the early Kharif.

Pakistan has already witnessed the downfall in agriculture growth, which stands at 2.5 per cent. Irsa chairman Safqat Masud has also confirmed that situation is alarming, but he hoped Almighty Allah will shower His blessing. He said mercury level in catchment area of the Indus river slightly went up and if temperature continues to improve, then the country may survive massive water crisis.

He further said that had four federating units judiciously used the water, the impending crisis would have been averted. Member Sindh in Irsa Muhammad Khan Memon, when contacted, said the water situation has deteriorated as the level had climbed down in Tarbela dam to just 0.791 MAF. “Only Allah’s blessing can save the country from water crisis.”

The cotton crop still needs first watering and the rice sowing has also been kicked off, but there is enough water to cater to these needs, Memon said. He said Met Office has also indicated the monsoon rains get momentum in July. Memon said the Met office has informed Irsa that there are chances that country may receive rain after June 15. However, he said if situation does not improve, then unprecedented water crisis would grip the country.

He said after seven to eight days, Tarbela would come to on the run of the river. The water-sheet says that inflows in Tarbela stand at 84,000 cusecs per day while the outflows stand a 135,000 cusecs.

About Mangla Dam, Memon said Irsa is trying to fill it up to 1,180ft by June 30 keeping in view the hydrology of the Jhelum River. He said in case Irsa fails to fill it by June 30 then it would not be able to fill after June 30 which will further aggravate the water situation as Punjab mainly depends on the Mangla water for its irrigational needs. According to the official, Irsa is storing just 4,000 cusecs per day in Mangla reservoir. The official said to fill the Mangla reservoir by June 30, 22,000 cusecs water per day is needed.

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