22 September 2004	Wednesday	06 Shaban 1425

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LAHORE, Sept 21: The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has increased the water share of Punjab from the Chashma-Jehlum link canal to 10,000 cusecs from 1,000 cusecs. Punjab had sought 18,000 cusecs but, due to a drop in river flow, Irsa has allowed 10,000 cusecs.

Talking about reasons for making the request, an official of the Punjab Irrigation Department said: "Supply from River Chenab goes to Trimmu and helps southern parts of the province. But, whenever Chenab river takes a dip, Punjab is left with no option but to increase water supply from the Indus arm. This is exactly what is happing now."

An official of Irsa said that supply from all rivers had gone down by at least 20 per cent. This was certainly a dangerous situation because it would decline further in days to come with a decline in temperature and snowfall on hills, he added.

After the monsoon, residual water trapped in ditches and creeks increases the base flow of rivers. In plains also, regeneration of water starts as water oozes out of rivers and canal banks. Because of poor rainfall, both these factors have not been able to contribute to national water supplies, he said.

At preset, there was only 5.7 million acre feet water in the two major dams and there was a fear that it would deplete in days to come with further drop in river flows. The country might start the next Rabi season with only 5maf against over 11maf last season, he said.

The Tarbela dam was stuck at 1,475 feet, some 75 feet below its optimum level of 1,550 feet, and had only 3.292maf against a capacity of 7.2maf, he said. Similarly, Mangla dam was at 1,160 feet against 1,206 feet, and had only 2.5maf against a capacity of 4.6maf. This was a disastrous situation, the Irsa official stated.

The Punjab Irrigation Department official said that Punjab had absorbed a cut of 33 per cent and Sindh 13 per cent over the past 10 days - from Sept 10 to 20. This was a situation when river supplies were better. It would certainly go down in next few days and weeks, he said.

Inflows last week was also substantially low. The Indus on Tuesday went down to 89,000 cusecs from around 119,000 a few days ago, the Kabul from 22,000 to 15,800 and the Jehlum to 10,300 cusecs. This situation would worsen in days to come and deplete both dams, he said.

The current crop may somehow be saved but the Rabi season might take a disastrous blow and the country might have to import three to four million tons of wheat, if not more, he added.