LAHORE, April, 12: The Punjab has threatened to draw its share of water from the barrages it controlled over Indus if the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) did not allow the opening of the Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal.
Sources in the Irsa told Dawn that Punjab irrigation authorities had delivered the ultimatum to Chairman Noor Muhammad Baloch during the fag end of the recent advisory committee meeting. Though it is committed to remain within its share even during that independent withdrawal.
The Punjab has been pressing Irsa to open the Chashma-Jehlum Link canal because it needs water for cotton sowing in southern part. But it feels helpless because Wapda controls Chashma Barrage and gets instruction from Irsa.
This situation has made Punjab to think in terms of drawing its share from upstream Jinnah barrage through Thal canal and from the Taunsa barrage through Taunsa-Panjnad canal. Both the barrages are controlled by the Punjab.
The threat worked and the Irsa ultimately asked Wapda to open the canal at 12 noon on Thursday. But it was still holding back on the opening of the Taunsa-Panjnad canal. Both canals are instrumental in transferring water from the River Indus to the Southern Punjab. Present share of Punjab from the River Indus stands at 14,000 cusecs.
As water supplies released from Mangla command start receding at the Panjnad barrage, the Punjab wants to open TP for irrigating around 1.5 million acres in Rahim Yar Khan district. The TP link canal was closed till the filing of this report. The sense of urgency among the Punjab irrigation authorities is caused by the expected system losses for the first few days; only half of the 5000 cusecs would reach the intended target and rest would be lost in the dry canal bed.
According to Wapda telemetry report, Chashma Barrage upstream pond level stood at 638.15 feet and 607.50 feet downstream.
On Friday, Chashma downstream discharges stood at 39,779 cusecs with the CRBC running at 3,000 cusecs and CJ Link canal at 1,750 cusecs. On the other hand, upstream pond level of the Taunsa barrage was at 443.50 and downstream at 423.60 feet. The DG Khan canal was running at 1,500 cusecs, Muzaffargarh canal at 2500 and TP Link at nil.
Situation at Mangla Dam continues to improve with inflows going up to 37,100 cusecs and outflow at 20,000. The lake level touched 1112.75 feet against dead level of 1040 feet.
The River Indus is flowing at 23,300 at Tarbela with outflow of 22,400, keeping the lake at 1369.20 feet against the dead level of 1369 feet.
On the other hand, the River Chenab is flowing at 13,900 cusecs at Marala and the River Kabul at 15,700 cusecs at Nowshehra.