ISLAMABAD - The Advisory Committee of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Tuesday anticipated that the provinces of Punjab and Sindh will face 28 per water shortage during the ongoing Rabi season.
The IRSA’s Advisory Committee, that met under the chairmanship of Saif Anjum, has declined Wapda’s request for the issuance of NOC for 1,530-MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T5) till the completion of work on T3 and T4 projects, official source told The Nation here.
The meeting of the IRSA’s Advisory Committee was convened here for finalising water availability for the Rabi season that started October 1, 2021, discussing progress on T3,T4 & T5 projects and water measurement matters. The meeting was attended by Member Water WAPDA, Member Power WAPDA, provincial irrigation representatives, provincial agriculture representatives and other officers.
It is worth mentioning here that last week the IRSA’s Advisory Committee had adjourned its meeting on water availability and anticipated water shortage for the upcoming Rabi season as member Sindh of the authority boycotted from the meeting as a protest over the distribution of water under 3-tier formula and exemption to KP and Balochistan from water shortages. The source said that on Tuesday again member Sindh has again protested over the water distribution issue and exemption of KP and Balochistan from shortages. However, member Sindh was asked by the rest of the Authority’s members that the matter is in CCI and the provincial member should wait for the CCI’s response on the matter.
The Water Accord 1991 empowered IRSA to determine water availability in the country and provincial share twice a year, once for Kharif season and the other for RABI season. Rabi season starts from October 1st and ends on March 31st, while Kharif starts from April 1st and continue till September 30th.
The advisory meeting anticipated that the estimated water inflow in Rabi 2021-22 would be 21.592 MAF. The water storage for Rabi this year is 7.414 MAF. It was also anticipated that the transportation losses for the Rabi season would be 2,044 MAF. It is estimated that 0.052 MAF of water will go downstream Kotri into the sea during cleaning.
The meeting anticipated that in Rabi season 2021-22, 26.911 MAF water will be available for the provinces. Punjab has been allotted 14.361 MAF, Sindh 10.827 MAF, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0.701 MAF, Balochistan 1.022 MAF. Since Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were exempted from cuts in the share, the shortage in water would be distributed between Sindh and the Punjab. Punjab and Sindh will face 28 percent water shortages.
During the meeting, Balochistan raised the issue of its water utilization by Sindh and said that 0.8MAF of its water was utitlized by Sindh in Kharif season. Balochistan demanded compensation in Rabi season. On Balochistan’s demand for the supply of 1.026 MAF water as compensation, it was decided that the province should prepare its working paper and present it at the next IRSA Authority meeting.
Regarding the completion of remaining work T3 and T4 work, WAPDA has requested to keep the level of the reservoir at 1411 feet from February to April. The advisory committee has approved WAPDA’s demand and directed to ensure the completion of work during the stipulated time, the source said. On the issuance of NOC for the construction of T5 on tunnel No.5 of Tarbela dam, the advisory committee observed that work cannot be started on the three projects simultaneously as the provinces will face at least 100000 cusecs shortage. Therefore it has been decided that NOC for T5 project will not be issued till the completion of work on T3 and T4 projects, the source said.
The advisory committee asked the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) to prepare TORs for Joint Disposal Management for the water measurement and submit them to the IRSA Authority.