KARACHI, Oct 23: The Sindh Cabinet approved the Rabi water shortage management plan 2001-02, to overcome the 57 per cent shortfall of its water share in the season and to ensure effective use of available water for better yield of the Rabi crop in Sindh.

Sindh Governor, Mohammedmian Soomro, who held a special session of the cabinet, on Tuesday, stressed the need for judicious, equitable and transparent water distribution.

He directed the irrigation department to realign water courses and formulate a coordination programme with the agricultural department to ensure better use of available water and coordination with farmers at every level.

Directing them to ensure water availability to the tail- enders, the governor said that in view of water shortage, ways and means to change crop patterns be considered so that wastage of water could be checked and better yields could be produced from available water.

He called for reactivating canal-advisory committees and to formulate irrigation and agricultural teams to create awareness among farmers by holding open Kutchries and informing them about the better use of water.

The available river water for the Rabi season has been calculated by the technical committee of the Indus River System Authority as 18.732 million acre feet (MAF).

Out of the estimated share of 7.30 MAF for Sindh, the proposed utilization during October will be 2.60 MAF, while for the remaining five months of the Rabi, only 4.70 MAF water will be available, indicating a shortfall of 57pc.

As water availability this year was the lowest in all the years, the irrigation department has chalked out the following water-management plan:

Every barrage will share equal shortage.

Rohri and Nara canals will draw equal water.

All non-perennial canals of the Guddu Barrage have been closed from Oct 16, and Rice canal of Sukkur Barrage from Oct 21.

Ghotki Feeder has been closed for 16 days, from Oct 16-31.

Instead of 51pc shortage, the province will have 35pc shortage in October, while there was no shortage this time last year.

The shortage for the remaining five months of Rabi will be 57pc.

In the non-perennial canals of Kotri Barrage, where underground water is saline, intermittent supply will be run in rotation whose programme will be announced 15 days in advance and will be followed strictly.

Sweet ground water tube wells will be run from 8 to 16 hours to supplement supplies.

Deterrent action will be taken against persons involved in tampering and other irregularities.

Black sheep of the department who connive with abadgars for monetary gains will be dismissed from service.

Public will be made aware of the shortage.