ISLAMABAD: Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Tuesday requested Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to appoint inspectors (technical officials) at nine key locations, after further increasing water shares of Punjab and Sindh due to better inflows in rivers.
According to Irsa spokesperson, water shortage for Punjab and Sindh has further reduced to 13 per cent from 18 per cent on May 31, 2021 due to better inflows, after which quotas for both Punjab and Sindh have been increased by 5000 cusecs each.
He said Irsa Authority held a meeting at the Met Office to get an update on weather in hilly areas. Director General Met Office gave a briefing to the Irsa officials. During the meeting it was noted that inflows in rivers have increased from 229100 cusecs to 252600 cusecs, which is an increase of 23500 cusecs of water in rivers.
Water discharge from Tarbela has been increased to 100,000 cusecs from 90,000 cusecs whereas discharge at Chashma Barrage has also been increased from 100,000 cusecs to 110,000 cusecs.
The share of Punjab has been enhanced to 107,000 cusecs from 101,000 cusecs whereas Sindh’s has been increased from 109,000 cusecs to 115,000 cusecs.
Met Office officials have informed Irsa that temperature in hilly areas will remain stable for the next 7-10 days and an increase in inflows will be witnessed.
Chairman Irsa, Rao Irshad, has written a letter to Chairman Wapda, Lt. General Muzzamal Hussain (retd), conveying to him the instructions of National Assembly Standing Committee on Water for appointment of Inspectors at key locations to monitor water discharges.
The letter was written after days of infighting between Chairman Irsa and Member Sindh, Zahid Junejo, including a verbal confrontation that was witnessed between the political leadership of both provinces with Chief Ministers provinces also jumped into the fray. Irsa has also advised Wapda to deal with this issue urgently.
The key nine locations in Punjab where inspectors are being appointed are as follows- Taunsa headway , Rasul headway, Marala headway, Trimmu headway, Chashma Barrage and Panjnad headway whereas in Sindh inspectors will monitor water discharges at Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri Barrages.
On May 27, 2021, Ministry of Water Resources, wrote a letter to Chairman Irsa stating "in pursuance of National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources, which met on May 24, 2021 on ongoing water crises concerning water distribution among provinces, Irsa is advised to immediately appoint water Inspectors (technical officials) at key locations of Indus Basin Irrigation System to dispel the impression of misreporting within a week's limit".
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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