The country needs to establish sufficient water storage reservoirs as Pakistan's current water storage capacity of 10% is far below the global water storage capacity of 40%. This was stated by Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Federal Secretary Ministry of Energy, Power Division, while briefing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which met here Wednesday under the chairmanship of Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah.
Khokhar further said that over the years the country has not built notable water reservoirs as a result the water storage capacity of the existing dams depleted by 50 percent, adding if appropriate and timely steps are not taken to cope with the issue, the country will face immense water shortages in coming years.
He further said that on Friday (December 8) a delegation of World Bank is landing in Pakistan to discuss the matters related to Indus Waters Treaty. He said that before going into talks with World Bank an inter-ministerial meeting is scheduled which will be attended by the officials of the Foreign Ministry, Water and Power Divisions, Ministry of Energy, and Attorney General of Pakistan.
Shah said that water inflow in Indus River from Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage has reduced to all time low level, adding that 24 cusecs water was inflowing at present in the area of Guddu and Sukkur. He said that it is feared that people of Karachi may be searching for water in the next six days.
Shah said that the country is facing all the current problems due to prolonged military rules which didn't allowed elected governments to carry out projects of national importance.
The secretary water resources said that currently water storage capacity in Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma stands at 13.8 million cusec feet, adding that at present total water inflows in Pakistani rivers is standing at 237 million acre feet. He said that water inflows in Indus River have reduced by 11,000 cusec feet. He said that water shortages for Rabbi cropping season is a matter of grave concern, saying if the country doesn't receive sufficient rains, Rabbi crops will badly hit. At present 32,000 cusec feet of water is being discharged from Tarbela, 30,000 from Mangla and 35,000 from Chashma barrage, Khokhar said and added that during the same period of the last year water inflows were double in quantity.
Shah while showing grave concern on water shortage in Balochistan and Sindh provinces asked the Ministry of Energy, Power Division, to give a detailed briefing to the panel in next meeting, especially about Guddu and Sukkur barrages.
It was further informed that the live storage capacity of Tarbela which once was at 11.95BCM in 1974 has eroded to 7.82BCM and it might further plummet to 6.49BCM in 2025. Likewise, storage capacity in Mangla Dam has gone down to 5.50BCM of water from 6.58BCM in 1967 and is prone to reduce more to 4.93BCM in 2025. And in Chashma Barrage, the live storage capacity has gone down to 0.55BCM from 1972 and is also feared to reduce to 0.55BCM.
So much so, India has planned to construct additional 2,500 dams by 2050 to add 180BCM of storage. India currently has the water carry over capacity of 220 days, Egypt 1,000 days on the Nile River only, America 900 days, Australia 600 days, while South Africa has carry over capacity of 500 days on the Orange River.