KARACHI: The acute shortage of irrigation water in various areas of West Pakistan will come up for discussion at a meeting of the Governors of Punjab, Sind and NWFP in Lahore this morning [Oct 11]. The shortage caused by the unusual drought, feared to be the worst in 50 years, has seriously hit the crops both in the Punjab and Sindh.

… The Governors, it is expected, will work out an agreed formula to solve this problem for the time being, pending final decision to be taken by President Yahya Khan on the basis of Fazle Akbar Commission report which will be submitted in a couple of months.

The question of distribution of irrigation water between Sind and Punjab has caused great concern among the agriculturists who fear that if nothing is done immediately the summer crop of Sind “Kharif”, is bound to be damaged. The winter crop of the province, “Rabi” which is yet to be sown, is also likely to be affected...

Sind says shortage of water will damage the “Kharif” crop while the Punjab alleged that Sind is getting enough water to discharge 30,000 cusecs daily into the sea from the Indus. And hence, they say, there is a shortage of only 400 cusecs per day at Sukkur Barrage in the usual withdrawal of 45,000 cusecs.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021