No water shortage for Rabi crops: Expert on telemetry soon: govt
By Khaleeq Kiani
ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: There will be no water shortage for irrigation during the current Rabi season and the government on the recommendations of the World Bank will appoint an international consultant to fix responsibility for the failure of telemetry system.
Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi said this after attending an inter-provincial meeting participated by members of the Indus River System Authority and provincial irrigation secretaries. The minister said that Balochistan’s complaint against Sindh about less water discharge would be probed by an independent committee.
The minister said Irsa advisory and technical committees had projected 14 per cent water shortage for the Rabi season this year but the latest examination of the situation had suggested that there would be no shortage this season.
In reply to a question, Mr Jatoi said the water storage on Tuesday stood at about 4.8 million acre feet, much higher than 3.99 MAF on the same day last year. Similarly, the provinces have so far been supplied four per cent more water than last year.
He said the government had directed Irsa to enhance its expertise and human resource capabilities so that these could be extended to the provinces in times of need. It had also been directed to ensure that Wapda is informed 48 hours ahead of reducing flows out of dams so that the power utility could make alternative arrangements for electricity production.The minister said that the meeting also deliberated upon Balochistan’s complaint against Sindh about water distribution. The meeting, he said, had decided to constitute a committee comprising officials of Wapda, National Engineering Services of Pakistan, an Irsa member from Punjab and two chief engineers one each from Sindh and Balochistan.
The committee, he said, would hold a detailed inspection of relevant barrages in the two provinces and come up with recommendations to resolve the issue. The federal government would ensure that these recommendations are implemented.
Mr Jatoi said that the World Bank had suggested three names for the appointment of a consultant to probe into the faulty installation of telemetry system and its failure. He said that terms of reference of the consultant had been finalised.
The consultant will submit its report within 16 weeks. The minister said all the stakeholders had agreed to accept the findings of the consultant.
An official statement said that the Irsa chairman briefed the meeting about the closure of Taunsa barrage for rehabilitation and modernisation works and alternative routing arrangements to meet full indents of Sindh, besides the programme of closure of C-J link canal and CRBC for emergent repairs. He also apprised the meeting of latest position on the Sindh and Balochistan issue on short supplies in Kirther canal.
