ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Tuesday decided to provide water releases to Sindh and Balochistan at the Guddu Barrage -- instead of Taunsa -- as it approved with consensus a two-month canal closure and re-routing plan for the Taunsa barrage to complete the second phase of repair works.
The Irsa took this decision here on Monday at a meeting presided over by chairman Mohammad Khan Memon that was convened to finalise the re-routing plan devised by the irrigation and power department Punjab. Under the decision, "The Taunsa barrage shall remain closed for stage-II rehabilitation and modernisation works for the period December 11, 2006 to February 10, 2007 as per demand of the Punjab," an official statement said.
The meeting decided that during re-routing of supplies extra losses, if any, shall be borne by the Punjab while in case of any unexpected shortfall at the Guddu Barrage, the Punjab irrigation department would ensure the releases as per indent of Sindh and Balochistan provinces even by adjusting its canals.
The Irsa said that about 1.5 million acre feet (MAF) of water would be retained in the Tarbela reservoir for the Rabi season which lasts from February 11, 2007 to March 31, 2007.
The meeting was attended by all the five members and provincial representatives.
An official statement said the meeting also discussed short supplies to the Kirthar canal of Balochistan and decided to prepare discharge curve twice a year through an independent body or engineer in the presence of the representatives of Sindh and Balochistan, which would be accepted by the two provinces.
For indents to reach Guddu barrage on December 11, the provincial water share from Jhelum Zone would be released on December 2. The Rs8 billion rehabilitation of the Taunsa barrage is a project of the Punjab government and the World Bank is providing about $125 million.
The barrage was originally built in 1953 but was on the verge of collapse before it was taken up for repair last year. The consultants of the project believed the weaknesses were so serious that failure could conceivably occur in the near future.
The rehabilitation has three components. In the first part relating to rehabilitation and strengthening of walls, includes a 4,300 ft long subsidiary weir located 1,500 feet downstream of the barrage to raise the tail water level and ensure proper energy dissipation at high river flows and repair of the barrage floor by removal of weak concrete and replacement with a new layer of concrete, and grouting to seal joints and fill voids in the foundation.
