ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: The country experienced a 21 per cent water shortage during the first five months of the current Rabi season, but Balochistan which had been exempted from a cut in share suffered more than 26 per cent shortage.
Informed sources told Dawn on Monday that the provinces were able to utilise 21.26 million acre feet of water (MAF) from October 1 to February 10 against their original share of 27.035MAF, leaving a shortage of about 21 per cent.
The sources said the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) had exempted Balochistan and the NWFP from any cut in their water share as a tradition because of their limited canal capacity, but Balochistan had to experience a shortage of 26 per cent owing to less water released by Sindh to the lower riparian. Balochistan had registered a complaint with the Irsa against Sindh for not providing its due share of water.
The NWFP was lucky to face zero shortage as it received its full share of 0.453MAF as allocated by Irsa.
The sources said Punjab received 11.024 per cent less water during the period than its allocated share of 14.458MAF, and faced a shortage of 24 per cent. Sindh, which had been allocated a share of 11.313MAF, was able to utilise 9.219MAF and faced a shortage of 19 per cent.
The total storage in the reservoirs stood at 1.766 MAF of water on February 11, including 0.892 MAF in Tarbela dam, 0.789 MAF in Mangla dam and 0.085 MAF in Chashma barrage.
Irsa sources said the provinces were being supplied water according to their indents and as such Sindh and Punjab were now getting 30,000 cusecs and 50,000 cusecs respectively. Balochistan has placed an indent of 3,000 cusecs while the NWFP was not drawing any water. Water level at Tarbela stood at 1,416.32 feet on Monday against its dead level of 1,369 feet while that of Mangla was recorded at 1,106.10 feet against its dead level of 1040 feet.
