ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: Sindh and Punjab have protested against what they term unauthorised release of more than 35,000 cusecs of water from dams for power generation, saying this might aggravate the shortage of irrigation water and adversely affect their crop.

Sources told Dawn that the worries of the provinces had been compounded because of the estimated 22 per cent water shortage for the current Rabi season and the use of relatively high quantities of water in the early stage to achieve their sowing targets.

In return for the higher usage, the two provinces had assured the Indus River System Authority that they would draw lower water shares later in the season. They now fear that water releases for power production at this stage could increase the shortage.

Irsa has convened a meeting of its advisory committee on January 7 to inform the provinces about the scale of energy shortage that caused the unauthorised discharges by the Water and Power Development Authority.

The sources said that Irsa was initially flabbergasted over the water releases and conveyed its displeasure to Wapda, but was advised by the ministry of water and power to take a lenient view because of the severity of the energy crisis. As a result, about 10,000 cusecs of water are now being released from Tarbela, despite a requirement of only 3,000 cusecs for drinking purposes.

The sources said that a total of about 39,000 cusecs had been released from Mangla and Tarbela dams since the December 27 assassination of Benazir Bhutto, although most of the canals were under maintenance. Kotri, Taunsa, Marala, Qadirabad, Chashma, Baloki and Sulamanki have already been closed while Kalabagh, Sukkur, Tarimu and Punjnad will be shut on January 13, 6, 7 and 14, respectively.

The two dams have now a total of 1.5 MAF of stored water that was much less than last year when the country faced an overall shortage of about 14 per cent. However, it is hoped that the expected rain and snowfall over the weekend will improve river flows and the storage level.

Irsa chairman Rafiq Ahmed Dahar said the authority had expected that the situation would improve after the expected rain and snowfall. He said he had also assured the power ministry and Wapda to meet their water requirements for power generation. He did not agree that the power authorities had made unauthorised discharges.

Wheat, gram, lentil, tobacco, barley and mustard are major crops of the Rabi season that begins on Oct 1 and ends on April 30.