ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Thursday approved a plan to divert water supplies to Sindh and Balochistan during an eight-week period when repair work will be carried out on Taunsa barrage starting from Jan 1, 2006. The meeting presided over by Irsa Chairman Shafqat Masood also expressed satisfaction over the overall water availability during the current season as shortages have remained less than originally estimated.
Mr Masood told reporters that Sindh normally required 35,000-40,000 cusec of water per day between Jan 1 and Feb 28. Under the re-routing plan, Sindh would now be provided 20,000 cusec of water through Taunsa barrage and the rest of its requirement would be met from Chashma-Jhelum canal and Mangla dam.
He said Punjab had earlier proposed to provide 15,000 cusec from Taunsa barrage but Sindh did not agree and demanded 20,000 cusec from Taunsa. Not only had Punjab agreed to provide the same from Taunsa, he said, but it also had to adjust about 2,000 cusec in estimated losses per day (or a total of 0.1 MAF) in its own account. He said Sindh would now get its indent at Guddu barrage.
Mr Masood said the overall water availability was better than estimated and now the overall shortage has been estimated at 10-12 per cent. He said that Irsa had originally estimated a water availability of 8.92 MAF for the period between October 1 and December 10 but the availability actually stood at 10.18 MAF.
In response to a question, he said water distribution among the provinces was taking place as per para-2, para 14(b) and para-4 of the 1991 Water Accord on the basis of overall availability. He said water distribution was being made through consensus but if any province had any objection, it could take the issue to the council of common interest.
In reply to a question on telemetry system, the Irsa chairman said the telemetry system was executed by Wapda and when Irsa faced software problems, it had handed over the system to Wapda for calibration. He said that Irsa would take over the system again when faults were removed. At present, he said, the recording of water flows is being made manually.
Irsa member from Sindh Mohammad Khan Memon, who was also present on the occasion, expressed satisfaction over the re-routing plan and said his province would now get its indent at Guddu and it was up to the Punjab how it adjusted its own requirements.
He said the distribution of water was being made under procedures defined in the water accord and all provinces were getting their water share according to their indents.
All the provinces unanimously decided that rehabilitation and repair of Taunsa barrage was a national cause and it should be done on priority.
The meeting was attended by Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and federal members of Irsa besides irrigation secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
