Sindh Irrigation Department has decided to release water from upstream of Kotri Barrage to two channels only for the purpose of drinking, for the people of Karachi, Hyderabad and interior parts of Sindh province in view of acute water shortage in river Indus.
Chief Engineer Irrigation, Kotri Barrage, Manzoor Ahmed Shaikh said here on Monday that today only 2,500 cusecs water is available at the upstream of the barrage because of acute shortage of water in river Indus. In view of such crisis, he said the Department has decided to release water to Akram Wah and Kalari Baghar Feeder of the Barrage instead to its all off taking channels.
The water is being released only for human utilisation instead of irrigation purpose, he said. Whenever the situation in the river will be improved, he added water will be released to other off taking channels of the river.
He also drew attention of all civic institutions relying water from these canals including City District Government Karachi and District Government Hyderabad to store maximum water in their lagoons as no increase of water in river Indus is foreseen within next two to three weeks. The Chief Engineer Irrigation Kotri Barrage while terming the acute shortage of water as natural calamity called upon the people to offer special prayers for increase of water in the river.