ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Amid fears of heavy damage to wheat crop, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) would inform the provinces on Tuesday that they would have to depend only on run- of-the river water for remaining period of the Rabi season ending March 31.

The Irsa would meet here on Tuesday to estimate as to how much crops would be affected particularly in Punjab and Sindh provinces as both the reservoirs are touching the dead level, an Irsa official told Dawn on Monday.

Irsa chief engineer, Mr Amanullah, said that the ongoing countrywide rains would have a direct and very positive impact on crops especially wheat in Barani areas but were not enough to have any impact on crops in irrigated areas.

He said the rains would also contribute to meet the requirements of orchards in Punjab.

He said the wheat crop in Sindh would be comparatively less affected than in Punjab in view of their timing of sowing. According to Irsa estimates, there would be around 43 per cent shortage of water during remaining 45 days of the Rabi season. In this way, total shortage by the end of the season would be around 38 per cent from 34 per cent shortage at present.

He confirmed that only five to six feet water was available at Tarbela that would last only for two days and Mangla has already touched the dead level.

He said that provinces particularly Punjab and Sindh would be significantly affected due to water shortage as Irsa had left with nothing to offer and they would have to depend on the run-of-the river water.

He said provinces would submit their next five-day indents on Feb 20. He said the meeting would review overall water situation and its Rabi water distribution plan that could not last as planned and future planning for rest of the season.

Mr Amanullah said that only the efficient utilization of water could meet the crops’ requirements inflow and outflow would become equal.

The provinces are already raising fingers at the working of Irsa as it could not follow its own projections and allocations for the rabi season.

The Irsa had projected to meet provincial indents till March 15 but both the dams are touching the dead level even before the last week of February, almost 28 days ahead of schedule.

The situation is even worst when compared to last year. Last year, provinces kept on getting their share, although reduced, till March 6 and March 21 from Tarbela and Mangla respectively.

The chief executive secretariat and the general headquarters had to intervene to address the shortage of water through diversion of Punjab’s sizable share to Sindh.

This time around, the Punjab’s crops would be hard hit because these are in an early phase, Irsa officials said.