ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: The Indus River System Authority has rejected the Sindh government’s assertion regarding disproportionate depletion of Mangla and Tarbela dam in contravention of
a decision by the IRSA’s advisory
committee.
In a letter, the IRSA asked the Sindh government to justify its claim with facts and figures and submit its water requirement plan.
The Sindh government had conveyed its reservations in this regard, fearing a shortage of irrigation water in the province during March-April because of excess water release from Tarbela Dam, damaging its wheat crop.
The Sindh government contended that about 57 per cent releases have been made from Tarbela dam against only 53 per cent from Mangla dam despite the fact that provinces had agreed to deplete both the dams proportionately.
The Sindh has also increase its indent for the next 10 days. Sindh would now get 44,000 cusecs, including 3,000 cusecs for Balochistan from its earlier indent of 35,000 cusecs.
Irsa has increased releases from Mangla by 1,000 cusecs, raising it to 32,000 cusecs from Mangla Dam. Punjab would now get 4,000 cusecs from the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal from last week’s indent of 1,200 cusecs.
Tarbela Dam’s water level is currently at 1,450 feet against its dead level of 1,369 feet. Similarly, Mangla dam’s water level was recorded at 1,150 feet against its dead level of 1040 feet.
Meanwhile, President Gen Pervez Musharraf has convened a meeting of members of the technical committee on contentious water issue here on Monday. The committee is led by ANG Abbasi.
Mr Abbasi had some reservations over the functioning of the committee because of financial, logistical and infrastructure problems.
ANG Abbasi would also hold a meeting with water and power minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and try to “settle some details”.
He told this correspondent that he wanted the committee to contribute positively to the national issues and hoped that “details” would be worked out.
He said the two meetings were of introductory nature and would lead to the first formal meeting of the technical committee.
