ISLAMABAD, Sept 30: The advisory committee of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has accorded approval to water apportionment formula for Rabi season 2006-07.

The committee, which met here on Saturday with Irsa Chairman Shafqat Masood in the chair, approved the decisions taken by the Irsa technical committee on water distribution among the provinces.

The representative of Balochistan could not attend the meeting due to non availability of flight.

The committee reviewed the water availability situation for Kharif season 2006. It expressed satisfaction that water situation in dams and rivers during the Kharif season was all right and the provinces had no difficulty because water was provided to them as per their requirement.

The meeting was told that the rabbi season would continue till March, 31. The provinces will have to face water shortage by 14 percent. The meeting was also informed about the technical committee’s decisions. The advisory committee endorsed these decisions.

Sources said that Punjab and Sindh would share this shortage and water distribution would take place in accordance with the 1991 Water Treaty.

Sindh was represented by M Khan Memon, the federation by Fazlur Rehman Siddiqui and the NWFP by Aman Gul Khattak.

Chief Engineer Wapda, Mangla, project director Chashma and representatives of the irrigation departments of the Punjab, Sindh and the NWFP also attended the meeting.—Online