HYDERABAD, Jan 3: Release of water from Manchhar Lake into River Indus was suspended by the Sukkur Barrage authorities on Tuesday as annual closure of Kotri Barrage began on Tuesday night for a fortnight.

According to Chief Engineer, Sukkur Barrage, right bank, Atta Mohammad Soomro, water release from the lake has been suspended as there is no water inflow from Sukkur Barrage into the river for Kotri Barrage. He said that the level of Manchhar Lake had reduced by half an inch and now it is recorded at 113.9 RL.

He said that since required water was not available in the river to ensure river-lake water ratio approved by the committee on the lake, the release had to be stopped.

He said that the lake water would again be released into the river after water inflow at Sukkur downstream was restored.

According to water technologist Dr Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui, until suspension of water flow from Sukkur Barrage, the river water was fit for human consumption.

The water control committee for the lake, headed by Hyderabad District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil, on December 8 had allowed release of 1000 cusecs of lake water against 50,000 cusecs of river water keeping in view rising level of the lake.

Dr Siddiqui has been tasked to examine the quality of the river water after every four hours to ensure halt to lake water release if the river water is found highly polluted.