IRSA releases water for Sindh from Mangla

ISLAMABAD: The water availability crisis in the country has aggravated more as the dip in water system has started appearing on the scene compelling the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) to reduce water withdrawal from the Tarbela Dam by taking the decision to release 8,000 cusecs of water per day to Sindh from May 18 under a temporary arrangement.

The water regulator has told the provinces that if the dip lasts for a week, the water shortage will go up by 25-30 per cent as the flows in water system are on the decline mainly because of lower temperature at catchment areas of Indus, Kabul, Jhelum and Chenab rivers. The IRSA, keeping in view the present water situation, has asked the provinces to utilize the available surface water in the river system efficiently by placing the rationalized indents in the future without any wastage till the normalization of the water situation.

However, the IRSA decision to release water to Sindh from the Mangla Dam has irked the Punjab government which termed the decision in its official response as breach of filling criteria of the Mangla Dam. Under the decision, the total outflows from Mangla have been increased to 58,000 cusecs from 50,000 cusecs with an immediate effect to reduce withdrawals from the Tarbela Dam keeping in view the declining water flows in the Indus River, which have plummeted to almost 55,000 cusecs per day.

IRSA Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan confirmed the development of giving water to Sindh from the Mangla Dam under temporary arrangements, saying that Tarbela and Mangla Dams are the collective pool of water of the government and it can provide water to any province from any dam depending upon the water availability in the reservoir. He said that unfortunately, the impression has developed that the Tarbela Dam is meant for Sindh and the Mangla Dam for Punjab that is not correct.

He said that because of some rains on Monday, the system got 15,000 cusecs of water at Chashma. However, the temperature at Skardu continues to be at a lower side somewhere between 19 and 20 degrees centigrade which is why the water flows are being seen at the lower side in the system.

He said if the temperature goes up to 24 degrees centigrade, the flows will increase to 80,000 cusecs per day and if the temperature moves up to 30 degrees centigrade, the water flows in the Indus River will surge up to 150,000 cusecs per day.