KARACHI, Sept 30: Sindh will be facing more than 50 per cent water shortage in its requirement for Rabi crop this year and this may be the worst shortage to be experienced by the province in the past many years.

This was stated by provincial Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Khan Leghari was addressing a press conference at the New Secretariat on Thursday. He apprehended that between 54 and 56 per cent for the Rabi season, beginning Friday, had been estimated to hit Sindh as against around 14 per cent during the last season.

In the recent past, he said, the severest water shortage in Rabi season had been recorded at 52 per cent, that had occurred in 2001-02. Giving details of the 11-point Water Management Plan, chalked out by the irrigation department in consultation with all stakeholders to face the situation, he said that the plan included strict vigilance on water theft.

Raids would be conducted to check pilferage and ensure supply of adequate water to tail-enders, he added. Mr Leghari pointed out that owing to water shortage, the Kharif crops, especially rice, was affected as sowing had been started very late. The crops needed water for their maturity, he added.

Comparing water inflow position at Rim station during the current and previous year, he revealed that as on September 30, the Indus at Tarbela was in 13 per cent deficit, Kabul at Naushera in 51 per cent, Jhelum at Mangla in 51 per cent and Chenab at Marala in 30 per cent deficit.

The position indicates that the flow over coming months would register a level much lower than it was on the same date last year. To overcome the shortage, the minister said, many steps were being taken under the Water Management Plan.

For the maturing of the late-sown rice crop, water will be provided in the BS Feeder, Rice Canal, NW Canal, Dadu Canal and Kotri Barrage system up to 10-15 October. The BS Feeder will be available to cater to only essential needs from October 11.

Rice canal will be closed from October 11 and Kotri barrage rice supplies would be closed from October 15. From Oct 1 to 15, watering of crop would be initiated and water would be provided to the areas like tail of Dadu Canal command areas, tail of Shahdadkot and Saifullah Magsi branch command areas, and tail of Kotri barrage command areas, where farmers could not start sowing or their crop sustained damage due to water shortage.

The supply would be meant for sowing of the crops like sunflower which can be cultivated with one supply. For the success of this campaign, the irrigation department has sought cooperation by agriculture department, Board of Revenue, district governments and farmers' organizations.

Water will be available for wheat crop from Oct 1 through the following zoning system: Command of Nara Canal system from Oct 1 15; Nasir division, part of Hala division from Kumb Darounh Regulator, including Jam branch, Hyderabad Branch, Bhumphar Distry, Matiari Distry, Khyberani minor, Sultanpur minor and Pano minor from Oct 1 to 15 and thereafter from Nov 1 onwards.

Khairpur Feeder East will remain closed from Oct 1 to 15; Dadu Canal and Ghotki Feeder will be opened from Oct 1 on wards; Rohri Canal system (other than Nasir Division), part of Hala Division from Kumb Darounh Regulator, including Jam Branch, Bhumphar Distry, Matiari Distry, Khyberani minor, Sultanpur minor and Pano minor from October 16 on wards.

Water for gardens and vegetables will have priority during the month of October. Government tube wells, 3,695 in numbers, having a capacity of 7,141.5 cusecs in sweet zones i.e. Khairpur, Naushahro Feroz, Nawabshah, Hyderabad and Ghotki, will be kept in operation for optimum hours continuously to supplement water availability in the canals.

Between October 16 and 31, only a small quantity of water would be available in Nara Canal system. Similarly, only a small quantity would be available in Rohri Canal system from Oct 1 to 15.

The irrigation minister said that the department was in constant touch with the Abadgar community and additional water would be provided if and when available and distributed on the basis of the requirement of areas.