Mangla Dam reaches lowest level at 1050 feet

ISLAMABAD: In a shocking development, Mangla Dam has come on run of river meaning by that it has reached the dead level of 1050 feet as the inflows and outflows have become equal at 2200 cusecs.

This alarming development has posed threat to standing wheat crop in central Punjab which requires two watering by March 13, MH Siddiqi, Adviser to Punjab Irrigation Department told The News.

Earlier it was being anticipated that Mangla Dam will reach dead level by February 24, but the perpetually in squeezed inflows in Jehlum river has compelled the dam’s management to bring the reservoir on run of the river two days before the anticipated deadline of February 24.

Resident Engineer Power Station Mangla in a letter to General Manager Hydel Operation dated February 22, 2018 informed that Mangla Dam has reached to dead level of 1050 ft at 3 pm. And in order to maintain the level of 1050ft as per instructions from IRSA director operations, inflows and outflows have been equalized.

Meanwhile, after having detailed discussion and looking into the Mangla Dam position, IRSA on Thursday opened the Chashma-Jhelum link canal with immediate effect with a discharge of 4000 cusecs to save Trimmu-Sindhai barrages, IRSA spokesman Khalid Idrees Rana said. IRSA chairman MR Sher Zaman Khan chaired the Authority’s meeting. He said the decision was taken by 3:1 majority as Sindh Member came up with severe opposition to the decision of opening C-J link canal.

With Mangla Dam reaching dead level, the water scarcity in Punjab is feared to 70-80 percent which will put the food security in jeopardy, MH Siddiqui said. “We are too much perturbed over the lowest ever water flows in Jhelum river and sensitized Pakistan Commissioner of Permanent Commission Indus Water (PCIW) Syed Mehr Ali Shah about the mammoth dip in Jhelum river and asked him to take up the issue with Indian counterpart organisation seeking the details and the visit of the sites of the projects of rubber dam and Kishenganga project.”

Meanwhile, Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Wednesday issued the letter to two major federating units—Punjab and Sindh asking for experiencing 36pc water shortage as both Punjab and Sindh have been provided the shortages of 30 percent and 32 percent respectively during the ongoing Rabi season 2017-18 from October 01 to February 20, 2018.