The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has allocated 12.75 million acre feet (MAF) to Punjab for irrigating the winter Rabi crops 2008-09, Punjab Irrigation sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday. They said this allocation is about 40 percent less than its annual requirement of 20 MAF for sowing and growing the Rabi crops wheat, gram, patato, onions and lentils etc.
They said Irsa which apportions water among the provinces according to 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, will provide 7.5 MAF from the Mangla Dam and 5.2 MAF from the Tarbela dam to Punjab during the next six months. Under the accord Punjab's share of the available water is 55.94 percent, Sindh's 48.76 percent, NWFP 5.78 percent and Balochistan 3.87 percent.
Meanwhile all irrigation canals in the northern and central Punjab that emanate from Mangla dam on river Chenab have been closed for ten days from 15th to 25th October 2008. The canals off-taking from Jinnah, Chashma, and Taunsa Barrages on River Indus have been closed for two weeks from 15th October to 31st October 2008. These canals irrigate western and southern regions of Punjab.
Pakistan has been facing drought conditions for past three years which have badly affected its economic lifeline and food security, agriculture sector. According to data released by Wapda on Thursday the water inflow at the four rim stations was 55,000 cusecs ; Tarbela on river Indus 29,300 cusecs, Nowshera on river Kabul, 7,200 cusecs, Mangla on River Jhelum 6,900 cusecs and Marala on River Chenab 11,900 cusecs is the lowest in the recent history.
Irsa has stopped water releases from the three main reservoirs, Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma to conserve water for sowing the rabi crops. In Sindh where farmers have started sowing the Rabi crops , water inflow at Guddu barrage on river Indus was 43,000 cusecs, outflow 39,100 cusecs, Sukkur inflow 40,700 cusecs, outflow 15,300 cusecs and Kotri inflow 13,845 cusecs and outflow nil.
Director General Agriculture Extension Services Dr Anjum Ali told that sowing of wheat and other Rabi crops would start next month. "The Federal Committee on Agriculture has given Punjab wheat production target of 20 million tons which will be sown over 15.9 million acres" he added.
The federal government has set targets for Rabi crops including wheat, gram, potato, and onions as 25.0 million tonnes, 0.65 million tons, 6.20 million tonnes and 2.0 million tons respectively. The government has also launched "Grow more wheat" campaign for the staple food security.