Punjab Water Council has strongly criticised role of Indus River System Authority (Irsa) in water distribution for it was not allowing the authorities to fill the Mangla dam on river Jhelum whereas the current Indus river inflow is adequate to meet irrigation water needs of Sindh and other provinces.
It may be added that Punjab government had put up an indent of 26,000 cusecs water to be drawn out of its share from Indus zone so that Mangla dam could be filled. Irsa has turned down this indent and said "Punjab should continue to draw this water from the Mangla dam"
President PWC Hamid Malhi here on Friday said that denying water for Mangla filling at this stage will put the country's wheat production at risk and destroy agriculture sector of Punjab as it draws irrigation water from Mangla dam during winter. "The composition of Irsa has to be reviewed according to Punjab's share of water in the so called Water Accord 1991. Since Sindh has two members as compared to one each of the other provinces in the water distribution body" he argued.
He said "It is unfortunate that Sindh dominated Irsa has adopted a strategy to deprive Punjab of its due water share from the Indus river which is bound to widen the rift between Punjab and Sindh on water distribution knowing very well that Punjab had been making unending sacrifices in all fields for economic progress of the country. Malhi pointed out that Mangla dam filling criterion proposes 80 percent filling by June 30th each year, whereas it has only reached 30 percent of its capacity. Mangla is totally depended on snow melt water of its catchments area whereas Tarbela keeps on getting water for storing even after Mangla filling period ends.
He said Tarbela relies on glacier melt water of the Indus catchment area. The Indus flows are also supported by the unhindered flows of river Kabul which contributes 27 MAF water or 18 percent of the total river flow of the country.
He lamented that Sindh with less than half of the cultivated area than Punjab gets comparatively 72 percent more river water. Downstream Kotri flows figures are also manipulated in favour of Sindh. He warned that this serious situation is bound to create long lasting negative impact on inter provincial relations. Punjab Water Council demanded that the Prime Minister should intervene to restore sense in Irsa so that country's economic future is not compromised.
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