The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has decided to slash water shares of Sindh and Punjab by 20 per cent for Rabi season while around 2.24 million acre feet of available water is estimated to be wasted during the season.
A meeting of the water regulator’s advisory committee was held under its chairman Mazhar Ali Shah to take a decision regarding allocations of water shares of the provinces for Rabi season (Oct-March). The meeting which was also attended by IRSA members and representatives of all the provinces and agencies concerned decided to allocate 20pc lower quantities of water to Sindh and Punjab, while Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa will get full share as they are exempted from the shortage.
According to sources, with the start of Rabi season from October 1 in the country, there will be 29.5 million acre feet of water available to all provinces from agriculture purposes, of which Punjab will get 15.72 MAf, Sindh 11.86 MAF, KP 0.70 MAF and Balochistan will get 1.2 MAF of water. It was also noted that there will be chance of losing 2.24 MAF of water of the system.
During the course of IRSA advisory committee meeting, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) official suggested increase in the dead level of Tarbela dam Dy six feet to 1386 feet and Mangla Dam by 22 feet 1062 feet.
Pakistan has been raising its voice against the violation of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 1960 by India as the later is persistently found engaged in violation the IWT by building dams establishing hydropower projects on the rivers flowing to Pakistan. And, taking conginzance of the matter, Pakistan has raised Indian violation on international forums, including the World Bank who was the broker of the treaty (IWT) between these two rival neighbouring countries.
IRSA determines twice a year the water availability to provinces for Rabi and Kharif seasons under the Water Apportionment Accord agreed among provinces in 1991. In Pakistan, Kharif cropping season starts from April 1 and ends on September 31 and its crops includes Sugarcane, cotton, maize and Rice, while Rabi season starts on October 1 and ends on March 31 that have major crops of wheat and barley etc.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan’s two major agricultural crops producing provinces including Punjab and Sindh would face the brunt of low availability of irrigation water due to the IRSA’s decision of a cut of 20 per cent in the allocation of water shares of two provinces for upcoming Rabi season (Oct-March) that might adversely affect wheat and other crops production and food security of the country.
