De-silting of canals in Punjab and Sindh begins from 26th

ISLAMABAD: The canal closures in Punjab and Sindh will begin from December 26, 2024, to January 31, 2025 for desilting in order to make irrigation systems in both the federating units more efficient.

However, this will lead to a drastic cut in production of hydro generation from the existing 3,550 MWs to less than 1,000 MWs.

“The canals closure is a yearly feature under which the canals are de-silted during the extreme winter season. During this time, water releases from the dams of Mangla and Tarbela get tumbled to the maximum. As a result, the hydro generation gets lowered to less than 1,000 MWs. Dams are meant to cater to irrigational needs of the provinces and generating hydel power is a by-product,” a senior IRSA official told The News.

More importantly, according to the notification issued on November 27, 2024 by Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage Left Bank Region, the Barrage will be closed for 15 days for annual maintenance of gates and their oil greasing from January 6 to January 20, 2025. During this period, all the canals, originating from the barrage such as N W canals, Dadu Canal, Khairpur Feeder East Canal, Khairpur Feeder West Canal, Rohri Main Canal and Nara Canal, will remain closed. The Barrage pond will be reduced gradually from zero hour of January 6, 2025 and its raising will start from zero hour of January 26, 2025.

In the Mangla command area, there are 12 canals and in Tarbela command, there are 9 canals in number. However, according to the schedule, in the Mangla canals, Lower Jhelum Canal and Rasul-Qadirabad Link canal will be closed from December 26 to January 12, 2025, Qadirabad-Balloki Link will stay closed from December 27 to January 13, 2025. Lower Bari Doab Canal, Balloki-Sulemanki Link is to be closed down from December 29, 2024, to January 15, 2025. The authorities will close the Upper Pakpattan Canal and Eastern Sadiqia Canal from December 30, 2024 to January 16, 2025, Upper Jhelum Canal from January 12 to January 29, 20025, Lower Chenab Canal from January 13 to January 30, 2025, Jhang Branch from December 27, 2024, to January 13, 2025, Upper Bahawal Canal from January 13 to January 30, 2025, Upper Chenab Canal from December 26, 2024, to January 12, 2025 and Central Bari Doab Canal from December 27 to January 13, 2025.

In the command of Tarbela command, the authorities will close Thal Canal from January 13 to January 30, 2025, Trimmu canals from January 10 to January 27, 2025, Trimmu-Sidhnai Link from January 10 to January 28, 2025, Sidhnai and SMB Link canals from January 11 to January 28, 2025, Lower Pakpattan canal from December 12 to January 29, 2025, Lower Bahawal Canal from January 13 to January 30, 2025, Punjnad canals from January 5 to January 22, 2025, and Taunsa canal from December 31, 2024 to January 17, 2025.