04 September 2004	Saturday	18 Rajab 1425

ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Responding to forecasts of a looming crisis, the federal government has convened an extraordinary special inter-provincial meeting to ponder over expected water shortage in the coming Rabi season and the remaining period of Kharif, Dawn has learnt.

Estimates suggest that there would be up to 70 per cent water shortage during the next Rabi. To be presided over by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the meeting would be attended by federal and provincial ministers and secretaries of agriculture and irrigation, representatives of Irsa, Wapda, Nespak, Meteorological Department and Chief Engineering Organisation/ Federal Flood Commission.

The sources said that Irsa had already scheduled a meeting of its advisory committee on Sept 4 to consider the emerging drought-like situation in the country. However, the new Water and Power Minister Liaqat Ali Jatoi had an emergency meeting with the prime minister on Thursday evening where it was decided to convene an extraordinary meeting of all the stake-holders to assess the real situation and consider possible remedial measures. Therefore, the advisory committee would now brief another meeting at the prime minister secretariat in which provincial ministers for irrigation and agriculture would also attend.

The sources said the prime minister would be presented with all facts and figures and various scenarios of water distribution so as to take a decision whether to save current Kharif crops with full water supplies or to carry forward a part of it for the Rabi season.

Irsa forecast early this week a looming calamity during the forthcoming Rabi season owing to erratic and low inflows, triggering an unprecedented situation throughout the post-Tarbela Dam period.

According to the latest Met prognosis, the country has entered a drought phase by now because of no significant rainfall in the monsoon period. This has caused critically low water levels in major reservoirs of Pakistan.

Irsa says that a concerted effort has, thus, to be made by the provinces by way of prudent and well-though-out water management plan to avert the crisis. Officials said the water shortage in the coming Rabi season might force the country to go for food imports, particularly wheat.

Last year, dams were almost full at the start of Rabi season and still the country faced an overall water shortage of 13 per cent. As a result, the country faced a major wheat shortage and rise in wheat flour prices.

Meanwhile, the water and power minister directed on Friday that a complaint cell be set up in the ministry to resolve people's problems on urgent basis. The cell will directly work under the minister and the people would be asked to send their complaints through e-mails, fax or in writing.

He said that all steps would be taken to facilitate industrial, agricultural and commercial consumers. Mr Jatoi said the country was facing various challenges like water shortage, electricity problems and load-shedding. He stressed the need for taking good decisions in the larger interest of the country.