AHMAD AHAMADANI
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has decided in consultation with the provinces to close canals from December 26 to January 31 for annual maintenance and de-silting.
The plan will reduce the output of hydropower units of Terbella and Mangla by more than 2,000 MW, resulting in increased loadshedding amid extreme winter across the country.
The official sources informed Pakistan Today that IRSA has notified the annual canal closure plan, under which canals would remain closed from December 26 to January 31 for maintenance and de-silting. They said that the canals of Mangla would be closed from December 26 till January 31 in stage wise, and canals of Terbella would remain closed from January 10 to January 31. According to the water discharge plan, the authority will release 10,000 to 12,000 cusecs of water from Tarbela Dam and 8,000 cusecs from Mangla Dam to meet drinking water requirements, they added.
Under the canal closure plan, Punjab’s lower Jhelum, Qadirabad Link, Upper Chenab canal will remain closed from Dec 26 to Jan 12, while Qadirabad Baloki Link, Jhang Branch, central Bari Do Aab from Dec 12 to Jan 13 and Lower Bari Do Aab, Baloki, Sulemanki Link from Dec 29 to Jan 15. Also, Upper Pakpattan canal, Eastern Siddiqiah canal will remain closed from Dec 30 to Jan 16, while Upper Jehlum canal from Jan 12 to Jan 29 and Lower Chenab canal, Upper Bahwal canal, while Thal canal from Jan 13 to Jan 30.
Similarly, canals of Trimu and Trimu Sidhnai will remain closed from Jan 10 to Jan 27, while SMB Link canal from Jan 11 to Jan 28, Lower Pakpattan from Jan 12 to Jan 29, and Lower Bahawal from Jan 13 to Jan 30.
Thall canal will be closed from Jan 3 to Jan 20 and the canals from Punjnad to be closed from Jan 3 to Jan 20 and Taunsa from Dec 31 to Jan 17. Sindh’s Kotri barrage will remain closed from Dec 26 to Jan 10 and Sukkur barrage from Jan 6 to Jan 24.
During this period, canals in Balochistan will also remain closed. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chashma Right Bank Canal will stay closed from Jan 1 to Jan 31.
The sources said that the Punjab government had communicated to the water regulator to reduce outflows from Mangla Dam beginning Dec 26. As a consequence, discharges from Mangla will be reduced to 8,000 cusecs from about 28,000 cusecs at present. The discharges from Tarbela Dam will also be curtailed to 10,000 to 12,000 cusecs from the current release of about 38,000 cusecs, the sources said.