The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Wednesday released 234,000 cusecs water in the canal irrigation network across the country to meet water needs of the provinces for sowing/growing strategic Kharif crops including cotton, rice and sugarcane, vegetables and fodder, Punjab Irrigation canal regulator M.H. Siddiqui told Business Recorder.
He said the provinces were suffering 20 to 30 per cent water shortage till 20th May which had slowed down sowing of Kharif crops in the two provinces. However with substantial increase in water flows in the four live rivers of the country during past couple of days after hot and dry weather in the upper regions, Irsa was able to augment the water supplies to the provinces.
He said the water regulator body is releasing 70,000 cusecs water downstream the Tarbela dam on river Indus, 84,200 cusecs run of river Kabul water, 38,000 cusecs down stream the Mangla dam on river Jhelum and 47,200 cusecs run of the river Chenab water. Siddiqui said that of these water releases, Irsa is providing about 90,000 cusecs water to Punjab both from Mangla and Indus zone, and 98,000 cusecs water to Sindh province downstream the Chashma Barrage which will enter Guddu barrage in 3-4 days.
He said out of its share of water from Indus zone, Punjab irrigation is putting in 7000 cusecs water in the Thal canal, 5,000 in CJ link canal, 30,000 cusecs water in canals emanating from the Taunsa barrage on river Indus. He said Punjab has demanded of the Irsa to increase the water flow in CJ-link canal to the level of 14,500 cusecs so that it could reduce water withdrawal from the Mangla dam to fill it up to 80 percent till 30 June which is far behind its annual filling schedule.-PR