12 November 2004	Friday	28 Ramazan 1425

ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The federal government is considering to arrive at an Inter-Provincial Drainage Accord (IPDA) to manage the disposal of saline effluent.

Officials toldDawnthat the centre had been in touch with the provincial government over the matter of disposing saline effluent to safe areas or to the sea while safeguarding surface reservoirs.

The quantum of saline drainage effluent requiring disposal can be minimized through improved irrigation and regulatory canal water allowances - to be covered under the accord.

The accord would help delineate those waterlogged areas that required immediate attention.

Sources said even normal canal water added about a ton of salt per acre annually.

Fortunately, the overall salts retained in the Indus Basin may not have to be exported to sea in full because this measure is neither feasible nor required.

Under the accord, the causative factors responsible for persistent water logging and salinity in other areas would be further studied for formulating new plans because salts will keep emerging in localized areas.