25 October 2004	Monday	10 Ramazan 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 24: The Sindh government has asked the Indus River System Authority not to calculate 102,000 cusecs of water in its share because that has been wasted owing to a tussle between the Irsa and the Water and Power Development Authority.

Sources in the Sindh Irrigation Department told Dawn that the Wapda authorities had released about 102,000 cusecs (about 0.29 million acre feet) of water downstream Chashma between Oct 8 and 17 over and above what had been approved by the Irsa as provincial share.

In a letter to the Irsa, the Sindh Irrigation Department said its indent for this period was much less for irrigation purposes, and Wapda released water either for power generation, or for technical reasons.

This extra water should not be accounted for in the Sindh's share of Rabi water because it was of no use to the province, the letter said.

Meanwhile, the Irsa has increased water releases from both the reservoirs. It has written to the Wapda to release 20,000 cusecs per day from Mangla and 40,000 cusecs per day from Tarbela from Oct 25.

As such, the releases to Sindh will increase from 29,000 cusecs to 36,000 from Monday. Similarly, Punjab will now get 7,000 cusecs from Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal instead of 5,000 cusecs, and 22,000 cusecs from Mangla instead of 5,000 cusecs, 3,500 cusecs from Taunsa and 8,000 cusecs from Kabul.

Till now, the provinces were getting water for irrigation purposes on run-of-the-river basis and depletion of both dams will now start from Oct 25.

The Irsa sources said the water requirement for crops had considerably dropped in the initial period because of recent rains and resultantly the overall water shortage has reduced to some extent.

They said the advisory committee of the Irsa which is scheduled to meet on Nov 1, 2004, is expected to revise downward the overall shortage for Rabi season in view of improved water situation.