ISLAMABAD, June 12: The differences over the distribution of water have again surfaced between the Sindh and Balochistan provinces, with the latter seeking President’s indulgence in a bid to save its Kharif crop from ruining.

Notwithstanding the fact that there has been a significant increase in rivers flow, the shortage of irrigation water is still far from over for the growers of Balochistan, an official told Dawn.

“Even on Wednesday, Balochistan received 3,405 cusecs less water from their allotted share,” the source said.

Balochistan has not received water according to its share since the beginning of the current Kharif season, with the result its growers are facing hardship.

Poor growers in the economically-backward province of Balochistan are highly restive over what is being termed “intransigent attitude” of Sindh government on the issue of irrigation water supply as per their allotted share, he added.

The irrigation department of the province had written a number of letters to the Chief Executive Secretariat, Indus River System Authority, Sindh government and other departments concerned, explaining the situation, but to no avail.

The government of Balochistan is keeping the CE Secretariat informed about the water it has been receiving short of its share on a daily basis, he added.

Chairman Irsa, Noor Muhammad Baloch, said the situation would improve within the next couple of days as the excess quantity of water released to the province of Sindh and Balochistan would reach Guddu within the next 36 to 48 hours.

He conceded that Balochistan had received water short of its quota in the first 10 days of June because of less flows in the rivers.

However, he denied that Balochistan had been suffering from shortage of water since the beginning of current Kharif season.

The Balochistan had received water as per its share till May 31, he said.

The Irsa chairman also refuted reports that he had developed differences with the secretary irrigation Sindh on the issue of supplying water to Balochistan.

Irsa sources said the authority wrote several letters to Sindh irrigation department, urging them not to draw water from the share of Balochistan.

The share of Balochistan and the NWFP, in view of their negligible quantity as compared to the shares of Sindh and Punjab, is not curtailed even in the period of worst shortages.