Pakistan's Water Crisis and Mismanagement

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[/COLOR]Running on Empty: Pakistan�s Water Crisis

New Asia Program Report Finds Water Situation Deeply Troubling, But Offers Recommendations
September 15, 2009

�Water shortages,� warns South Asia scholar Anatol Lieven, �present the greatest future threat to the viability of Pakistan as a state and a society.�

This warning may be overstated, but Pakistan�s water situation is deeply troubling, as described in a new report from the Woodrow Wilson Center�s Asia Program, Running on Empty: Pakistan�s Water Crisis.

Water availability has plummeted from about 5,000 m3 per capita in the early 1950s to less than 1,500 m3 per capita today. As Simi Kamal reports in the first chapter of Running on Empty, Pakistan is expected to become �water-scarce� (below 1,000 m3 per capita) by 2035�though some experts project this could happen in 2020, if not earlier.

In an unstable nation like Pakistan, water shortages can easily become security threats. In April 2009, alarm bells sounded when the Taliban pushed southeast of Swat into the Buner district of the Northwest Frontier Province. Not only is Buner close to Islamabad, it lies just 60 kilometers from the prized Tarbela Dam, which provides Pakistan with billions of cubic meters of precious water for irrigation each year.

Soaked, Salty, Dirty, and Dry

According to Kamal, Pakistan faces significant and widespread water challenges:

� Inefficient irrigation.
� Abysmal urban sanitation.
� Catastrophic environmental degradation.
� Lack of water laws to define water rights.
� Lack of a sound policy on large dams.

An arid country dependent on agriculture, Pakistan allocates more than 90 percent of its water resources to irrigation and other agricultural needs. Unfortunately, intensive irrigation and poor drainage practices have waterlogged and salinized the soil.

Women and Water in Rural Pakistan

Rural women and small farmers are particularly affected by Pakistan�s water crisis. Women bear the primary responsibility for obtaining water, but have been traditionally been shut out of government water-planning and decision-making processes. However, government and media initiatives, described by Sarah Halvorson in Running on Empty�s chapter on water and gender, are increasingly highlighting the importance of women�s participation.

Meanwhile, Adrien Couton reports that Islamabad�s water projects mainly benefit large and wealthy farmers�even though Pakistan has approximately four million farms smaller than two hectares.

Pakistan�s Thirsty Cities

With most of Pakistan�s water dedicated to agriculture, less than 10 percent is left for drinking water and sanitation. A quarter of Pakistanis lack access to safe drinking water�and many of them reside in the country�s teeming cities.

Worse, the drinking water that does exist is quickly disappearing. Lahore, which relies on groundwater, faces water table declines of up to 65 feet, as described by Anita Chaudhry and Rabia M. Chaudhry in their chapter on the city.

The scarcity of clean water in the cities�exacerbated by a lack of wastewater treatment�is a leading cause of deadly epidemics. At least 30,000 Karachiites (of whom 20,000 are children) perish each year from unsafe water.

Pakistan Must Act Now To Solve the Water Crisis

Pakistan arguably has the technological and financial resources to provide clean water. So what�s the hold-up? In her chapter on public health, Samia Altaf argues that the problem is the absence of a strong political lobby to advocate for water�and that no one holds Islamabad accountable for fixing the problem.

The report offers more recommendations for addressing Pakistan�s water crisis:

� Invest in existing infrastructure and in modest, indigenous technology.
� Strike appropriate balances between centralized and decentralized management.
� Devote more attention to water allocation and distribution on local/individual levels.
� Understand the links between agricultural and urban water pressures.
� Embrace the role of the private sector.
� Conserve by favoring water-saving technology; less water-intensive crops; and water-conserving urban building design.
� Address structural obstacles like systemic inequality and gender discrimination.
� Take immediate action. Tremendous population growth and rapidly melting glaciers in the Himalayas ensure that the crisis will deepen before it eases.

The need for immediate action cannot be overstated. While Pakistan�s water crisis may not threaten its viability, it is undeniable that so long as the crisis rages on, essential components of the nation�such as the vital agricultural economy, the health of the population, and political and economic stability�lie very much in the balance.

Michael Kugelman is the Wilson Center�s South Asia specialist. He is co-editor, with Robert M. Hathaway, of the recently published Wilson Center book Running on Empty: Pakistan�s Water Crisis, on which this post is based. Much of his work has focused on resource shortages in Pakistan and India.

 

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Punjab ‘pulls out’ of Irsa

The government of Punjab has stopped its representative from attending meetings of the Indus River System Authority and has accused Irsa of having turned “blatantly pro-Sindh” and harming the federation.

Steep rise in water losses

As a controversy rages among provinces over their share of water, losses in the irrigation system have increased to 50-60 per cent because of rising temperatures and theft......water losses between Taunsa and Sukkur barrages that stood at about 12,000 cusecs on Saturday suddenly increased to over 35,000 cusecs on Monday.

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Water crisis in Pakistan agriculture

How to manage scientificially?

By DR. S. M. ALAM, M. A. KHAN AND DR. R. ANSARI.
Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam, Pakistan
Jul 03 - 09, 2000

Water is an important component of life. Allah has created every moving (living) creature from water (Surah 24, An-Nur, Ayet 45). We need about 15 glasses of water daily and human body contains about 60% of water. Without food we can survive for nearly 80 days, but only a few days without water. Fresh water for human and agriculture use is only 0.008 % on the earth. A shortage of fresh water is probably going to be most serious resource problem the world will face after a few years from now. As with food, the problem of water is not one of the global shortage, but one of uneven distribution. Three-quarters of the fresh water on the planet is held in the polar icecaps and glaciers and so is unavailable for use. Where water is plentiful, people are frequently few, and vice versa. The most water- rich country in terms of the run-off from rain-fall to population is Iceland, with more than 500,000 cubic meters per person per year; the most water- poor is Egypt, with just 0.02 cubic meters. Water is absolutely essential for plant life. Plants use more water than any other substances they absorb. The function of soil moisture in plant growth is very important. Excessive quantity of water in soil inhibits plant growth and makes drainage essential. When soil moisture is not enough drought, condition prevails leading to ultimate death of plants.

Many parts of the world are confronted with water scarcity, for both irrigation and human needs. Some 70 per cent of the water, people use goes to irrigation. Since 1950, the amount of irrigated land has tripled, and one-third of the world's food is grown on it. Without that increase, the world might now be starving. The great controversies over distribution of river water and construction of reservoirs, dams, barrages and link canals are very common among the various countries of the world. Providing water for irrigation and for cities will require damming more rivers, flooding more valleys, carrying out more giant water engineering schemes. Such projects are often hugely expensive and not only in economic terms. Large dams frequently involve massive changes in the use of land. That means not only the displacement of people from their homes but the loss of farm land, disturbance to water tables, build-up of silt, and other environmental costs. Of course dams also produce water for irrigation and for generating hydroelectricity, controlling floods, producing fish and even providing recreational facilities but serious attempts to measure the benefits from dams suggest that the gains are often smaller than the costs.

The disputes over the distribution of river waters are very common in the human society . Water resources often cross national boundaries, making it very easy for one country to 'steal' the water that should be delivered to another. No-one can predict which of several points of tension will result in armed conflict, but it is easy to list some candidates. They include, Threats to dam the upper Blue and White Nile; The diversion of water from the Sea of Galilee into Israel's National Water Carriers the Gabcikovo dam on the Danube in Slovakia; the damming of the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates by Turkey and the Euphrates by Syria, distribution of water of river Ganges between Bangladesh and India, construction of dam on river Kavari between two southern provinces of India. The distribution of water's shares of Indus had been a source of conflict between India and Pakistan, but in 1959 an agreement was reached whereby the waters would be shared. These are the few examples of this scenario. All over the world, the lower riparians on rivers are usually complaining against the upper riparians for not giving their due share of water, but human nature prevails every where and results in disturbed situation. While there is no way of predicting whether these pressure points�or any of the other dozen situations around the world�will erupt into war, it is easy to see that control over water will come to be seen as a much more important strategic issue both between countries and within them.

The arid and semi-arid regions of the world have to depend on river water sources for their agriculture i.e. mainly on artificial canal irrigation system. The source of main water in Pakistan is canal irrigation system. The Indus valley, comprising the planes of Punjab and Sindh is mainly dependent on the water of river Indus and its tributaries, as the area is mostly arid on the basis of annual precipitation. The river Indus is the life line for Pakistan's agriculture. The nearly 450,000 sq.m. Himalayan watershed of Indus and its tributaries includes the world's biggest glaciers outside the polar regions. The Indus river rises from a lake named Manasarowar in southwestern Tibet at an altitude of 16,000 ft or 4,900 m and flows in a north westerly direction along the slopes of the Himalayas, travelling a distance of about 1500 miles) and crossing at north -west Jammu and Kashmir from the southwest. In west Kashmir it flows through a defile 13,000 ft deep. The river Indus is a great trans-Himalayan river of south Asia and one of the longest rivers of the world having a length of 18,00 miles( 2,900 km).The glaciers of Siachin (75 km), Baltro (62 km), Hispar (53), Biafo (50km), Shyok, Shingar, Hunza, Gilgit, Astor. These mighty glaciers and other streams with 30 tributaries constitutes a surface area of 1220 sq kms (471 sq miles ) carry snow melt waters to the Indus from the main Hamalayan range, the Karakoram range, the Nanga Parbat, the Kohistan ranges etc mostly in summer season . The river crosses the western Kashmir border and then turns south and southwest to enter Pakistan. In Pakistan, it emerges from the mountain highlands flows as a rapid stream between the Swat and Hunza regions and proceeds onwards through North- West Frontier region and crosses the salt range to enter semi-arid Punjab plains where it is joined by the Panjnad (near Mithankot). The Indus receives its most notable tributaries from the Punjab to the eastern sides, including Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlaj rivers. After receiving the waters of the Punjab rivers . Shifting to the south-west, the Indus becomes much wider and enters into the Sindh region near Kashmoor and then flows to a slow speed, depositing large quantities of silt along its course. Indus begins its deltaic stage (3,000 sq.m ) and breaks into distributaries that reach the Arabian sea at various points southeast of Karachi.

Water resources system is the life line for Pakistan. It is a source of life and energy. It is the most critical factor of production in Pakistan's agriculture. To increase agricultural production, land is not a limiting factor as there is more cultivable land available that can ever be properly irrigated. It is a universal solvent and cleanser. It has a very economic value, which is at a constant rise with population. Pakistan is arid to semi-arid country, located between the longitude 61� east to 76� east and between latitude 23� north to 37� north. Total area of Pakistan is 79.61 million hectares. Population of the country is about 150 million and nearly 75 percent it lives in the rural areas. Agriculture is the main stay of Pakistan's economy, contributing 35 percent to the gross domestic product and providing 60 percent of the labour force. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of the total export of the country originates from agriculture. Total annual cropped is about 19.72 million hectares. Out of which, 15.3 million hectares are irrigated areas, about 75 % (11.4 mha.) is irrigated through canals, l9 % (2.9 mha.) through tube wells 2 % (0.3 mha.) through wells and remaining 4 %(0.4 mha.) through tanks and other sources. Major crops grown are wheat, rice, cotton, maize and sugarcane which together make about 63 percent of the total cropped area. Production of three important crops. namely rice, cotton and sugarcane as well as 90 percent of wheat and most of maize is virtually confined to irrigated areas. The climate of the country is favourable for two crop's season under irrigated during the year.

In Pakistan, the total water supplies available to agriculture come from three sources rainfall, surface water from the River Indus and its tributaries, and the ground water, and also from sewage water and sea water. The mean annual rainfall varies from less than 100 mm in Sindh to more than 1000 mm in the foot-hills and northern mountains with an average of about 400 mm. About 60% of this rain comes during the monsoon season (July through September). Much of the summer rains are not available for crop production due to rapid run-off because of torrential showers. At other occasions, rain may be so light that the precipitation evaporates before the water can penetrate into the root zone. However, the contribution of rain to crops in the irrigated areas of Indus Basin is estimated at about 1650 thousand hectares meter. Thus 10 mm of rain water provides 100 cubic meter of water per hectare. Rainfall alone is inadequate to sustain more than a very low level of agricultural production in the semi-arid conditions which prevail over most of Pakistan. Ground water is the second major source for irrigation. The seepage through rainfall, rivers and vast canal network has created a large and readily manageable acquirer underlying the Indus basin. The total recharge to the groundwater system of the Indus Basin has been estimated at 56 MAF per annum. Presently, the ground water is being developed canal commands of Indus plain for the purpose of irrigation on the large scale and is of the order of 44 MAF per annum . There is a huge source of highly saline sea water along the 1,050 km coast of Pakistan along the Arabian sea, but it cannot be used either for drinking or irrigation unless desalinized. Some palm and coconut trees can be grown in coastal belt using saline water. With the extension of big cities and towns the quality of sewage water is increasing considerably. It is mostly used for the production of high value crops like vegetables, fodder, oil palm, coconut etc in the vicinity of cities and towns. However, there is a common belief that the vegetables raised from sewage water are not safe for consumption from hygienic point of view. Nevertheless, there is potential for treating the sewage water for recycling or using it for irrigation purposes as is being done in many other countries.

Irrigation system of Pakistan has been developed from the Indus waters more than hundred years ago and is now the largest integrated irrigation system in the world. The flow of Indus river system is the prime source of surface water resources of the country. It covers gross area of 16 million hectares of which 88 per cent is culturable. It has 48 principle canals, emerging out of 20 river diversion structures. Many of the canals are even large by world standard; 15 of them having capacities of over 280 cubic meter per second. The cumulative operating capacity of these canals is 7323 cubic meters per second and their annual conveyance capacity is 331 billion cubic meter. These canals traverse about 61,000 kilometers to command the 15.50 million hectares of culturable area through 90000 watercourses and filled channels numbering 1,07,000. Each watercourse serves about 160 hectares of land on the average. In addition, there are 23 barrages, 45 main canals, 12 huge inter river link canals transferring bulk water supplies from the western rivers to the eastern rivers.

Presently, Pakistan irrigation system encompasses two major dams such as (I) Mangla - The main technical features of this dam is as: World's third largest earth filled dam, built on river Jhelum; Height-380 ft. above river bed; Length 10300 ft. Gross water storage capicity-5.88 MAF, also used for Power generation; Live storage capacity -538 MAF; .Main spillway capacity -870,000 cusecs; Emergency spillway capacity 230,000 cusecs; Lake area- l00sq.miles, (II) Terbela- The main feature of this is as: The world largest earth and rock - filled dam on one of the world's most important river the Indus; Height- 485ft. above river bed; Length 9000 ft; gross storage capicity ,11.3 MAF; Live storage capacity- 9.4 MAF; service spillway capacity 6,50000 cusecs; Auxiliary spillway capicity- 840,000 cusecs; Lake area- 100 sq. miles. ,The Terbela dam is known as the best hydel power station in Pakistan having a capacity of generating 3,478 MW of electricity. The Chashma is the biggest reservoir which help in the irrigation of millions of hectares of agricultural lands.

In addition to the grand canal system, there are about 185,000 private tube wells with average capacity of 30 liters per second and about l5000 public tube wells of capacity of 60 to 120 liters per second. At present these tube wells pump about 41 billion cubic meters water and provide 30 per cent of the total irrigation water to exclusively more than two million hectares in addition to supplementing some canal fed areas. Water available at the farm gate after accounting farm losses and run-offs estimated that about 60% of water which comes to 35 MAF is lost during conveyance through canals, distributaries and water courses and also goes to Arabian sea at Karachi annually which is a huge national waste. This water must be harnessed if our posterity have to be saved from feminine like situation.

Total available water resources of the country from the rivers as well as fresh ground water come to 160 million acre feet (136 MAF from rivers i.e 94 MAF from Indus; 20 MAF from Jhelum and 26 MAF from Chenab ;and 24 MAF from fresh ground water sources). Out of this, 101.4 MAF reaches at the modules or the starting points of the watercourses, after deducting losses of the system, i. e seepage from the canal and distributaries, 35 MAF water was being wasted into the sea during flood season every year. Another available water 45 per cent is lost due to seepage from the water courses, which in absolute terms is 45.6 MAF, thus total water reaching at the farm gate remains about 56 MAF. About 15 percent additional water is lost due to improper irrigation applications, which in absolute terms is 8.4 MAF. The total requirement of the country in the year 2000 is estimated to be 78.7 MAF, which means that there is a shortage of 22.9 MAF at the farm gate for which there seems to be no supplementary source at present. Pakistan needed 170 million acre feet of additional water in future to meet irrigation and other requirements of the people. This was not possible unless new storage dams were built. India was planning to build Salal dam on the Chenab river and diverting the Indus river water from the Wooler lake in occupied Kashmir.

Conclusion

To overcome water shortage crisis, the solution lies in the proper water management at watershed, reservoirs, conveyance system i. e, at canals and distributaries level as well as watercourses and farm application levelling of open channels and use of pipes to transport water for reducing seepage losses. To prepare cemented water beds at the bottom of the base. Building of more dams in the country is also good solution to solve the problem of water shortage. Million of acre feet of valuable water which was flowing into the sea every year could be stored for irrigation at a time when it was needed the most. We should build the Kalabagh dam for the betterment of the country from acute water shortage in future. However, officials of each province should be consulted for the construction as well as for equal share and distribution of water. It is also suggested that if any province was prepared some water out of his own share to other provinces it should be accepted as a gesture of good will and not as a matter of right . The Kalabagh dam project should be supplemented with supportive irrigation projects in Balochistan, Sindh, Cholistan and the NWFP to take the benefits of additional water available from the Kalabagh reservoirs to take their respective areas. Experts say that it was the most researched and investigated project of the world approved by the world top irrigation and dam experts on which Rs.1 billion had been spent so far on investigation. Recently, parts of Balochistan, Cholistan and some parts of Sindh had experienced drought and famine like condition a few months back where a number of casualties had been taken place besides the loss of 40% of cattle. The politicians have to use their wisdom rather than emotion to come to a decision in the country's national interest and the people in the issue of building as many as reservoirs as possible in the minimum possible time, making real and actual policy involving the water crisis, collection of rainwater in depression. Water source development needs to be accorded due priority in the rain- fed areas where small or mini dams can be constructed in proximity to the commended area.

The crisis of water shortage for irrigation can only be over come and proper individual farmer for water management practices. Some of the points to be kept in mind are as: evaluation of available water resources, development and improvement of existing irrigation systems, judicious and efficient use of available irrigation water, control of evaporation from water surface in reservoirs and canals conjunctive use of surface and ground water, evaluation of water requirement of various crops, knowledge of modern techniques of crop and water management, active participation of farmers in water users association, better understanding between government and farmers community. The tail end farmers on a watercourse do not receive their due share. This is due to prevailing technological and socio- political conditions. This unreliability of water supply at the tail ends of canals and watercourses due to the situation and distribuatries and the presence of influential people at the head of canals seriously affects the morale and production of the tail end farmers. Reliability and equity of water distribution is imperative to provide opportunities to all farmers in a canal command area to increase crop production. Massive education in proper use of water along with modern techniques of land leveling can save substantial quantum of water. To obtain the best results, effective co-ordinations between the departments of irrigation and agriculture is the cardinal point for success. Let we Pakistani pray to Almighty Allah in a true sense for the betterment of Agriculture and for the rainfall to submerge our valuable dried lands for the cause of human remedy.

 

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Water woes

Nationalists in Sindh accuse Punjab of deliberately starving the lower riparian of water, while some otherwise informed inhabitants of Punjab hold to this day that discharges into the Arabian Sea amount to a waste of a precious resource. We need to get away from these conspiracy theories and work together, for the collective good of the country. Pakistan is already categorised as a water-stressed nation and is, in fact, hovering around the water-starved level. The vagaries of climate change and the burden of a burgeoning population will only add to our troubles. Consider this: Pakistan’s per capita availability of water stood at 5,300 cubic metres per person in 1951. By 2006 this figure had fallen to 1,105 cubic metres. The situation today is probably even more dire.
The Ravi now is little more than a sewage drain in its incarnation near Lahore. Downstream of Kotri, the once mighty Indus, the river Sindhu, has been so choked by dams that cattle wander along its beds. Agriculture in Sindh has taken a huge hit due to water scarcity and riverine fishermen have suffered too. Even more troubling perhaps is the problem of sea intrusion. The Indus was historically strong enough to push back the sea but that is no longer the case. Estimates vary, depending on the political affiliations of those producing the figures, but the sum total is staggering by any count. Unbiased observers believe that at least two million acres of arable land has been devoured in Sindh by sea intrusion over the last 20 years. Crops, homes and livelihoods have been lost, and extra pressure exerted on urban infrastructures. Human dignity is also a victim. Farmers and herders, who once had their own land and animals, are now being forced to clean shrimp for a pittance in Karachi’s outlying fishing communities.

Sunday marked the International Day of Action for Rivers. The nationalists were out in force, as expected, but conspicuous by their absence were those whose voices could be called tempered. Our inter-provincial disputes must now give way to a more informed discourse on India’s illegal water appropriation in Indian-administered Kashmir. We must also say goodbye to our profligate ways. Agriculture accounts for nearly 97 per cent of all water usage in Pakistan, and everyone knows that we waste this resource every single day. Canal lining and land-levelling projects are behind schedule and there has been little or no government support for modern irrigation systems. The problem doesn’t end there. Pesticide-ridden run-off from overly watered farms is polluting waterways and natural aquifers. Water can no longer be taken for granted and integrated management is the need of the hour.

 

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Strike observed in interior Sindh

BADIN: Complete shutter-down was observed on Friday in several districts of interior Sindh on the call of the Awami Tehreek (AT) over the issues of Sindh.

The AT agitated against the proposed power plant on Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, construction of Greater Thal Canal and dams, target killings in Karachi, and increase in petroleum prices, gas and electricity tariffs.

In Badin, dozens of AT workers and other nationalist parties took out a procession from Allah Wala Chowk up to the Badin Press Club.

Addressing the protesters, AT leaders said a conspiracy was being hatched to worsen the law and order situation in Sindh, including Karachi. The protesters raised slogans of ‘stop the theft of waters of River Indus’. Our Naushahro Feroze correspondent adds: Complete shutter-down was observed in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Kandiaro, Bhiria, Mehrabpur, Tharoo Shah, Padidan and other towns.

Our Dadu correspondent adds: The key cities and towns of Jamshoro, Dadu and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, including Kotri, Jamshoro, Manjhnad, Sehwan, Bhan Saeedabad, Dadu, KN Shah, Moro, Warrah Qambar remained shut. Protest rallies were taken out.

Our Larkana correspondent adds: Complete shutter-down strike was observed in Larkana, Naudero, Ratodero, Qubo Saeed Khan, Miro Khan, Naseerabad, Badeh, Gerello, Dokri and Bakrani. Several organisations staged demonstrations and rallies against the power plant on the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal.

Our Hyderabad correspondent adds: A partial strike was observed here on Friday on the call of the Awami Tehreek (AT) against the proposed power plant at Chashma Jhelum Link Canal, target killings in Karachi and other issues concerning Sindh province.

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Punjab APC wants revision of water accord with India

LAHORE – Participants of All Parties Conference (APC) held here at Punjab Assembly Thursday, lamented over blocking of three western rivers flow by the neighbouring country, urging the federal government to re-negotiate terms of the 1960 water accord with India.
The APC, convened and chaired by Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz, who is also holding the charge of provincial irrigation department was organised to review and discuss the water sector issues facing Pakistan and to recommend measures to address the emerging challenges. Provincial chapters of various political parties, minus the PML-N and the PML-Q, attended the moot. A declaration, issued at the end of the conference, accused India of violating the Indus Water Accord of 1960 by not giving the due share of water to Pakistan from western rivers. It also urged revision of the said treaty, as participants view, India was taking undue advantage of the particular provision according to which, it has been allowed to make use of waters of these rivers for the purpose of power generation.
“The government should make all possible efforts to ensure that Pakistan’s water rights are not compromised at any cost,” the declaration further read.
Highlighting the need for construction of new water storages in the country, the APC also resolved that Kalabagh Dam should be constructed, but after evolving consensus among the provinces. The participants viewed that consent of the federating units in this regard was necessary to keep the federation intact.
Participants also suggested that holistic measures for water conservation and improved water management should be taken by the government to address the issue. For this purpose, initiatives for canal lining, watercourse improvement, and efficient irrigation systems were proposed to be implemented. The conference also highlighted the imperative requirement of harnessing the potential of renewable / hydel energy in order to sustain and support the growth of economy. Recognising that Pakistan was fast turning into a water-scarce country, the conference stressed the need for developing better understanding among the provinces for water distribution while staying within the ambit of water accord. It was suggested in the end that a similar conference may also be convened at the federal government level besides observing a “National Water Day” to develop better understanding of the water sector challenges and future strategies. Later, while replying to a question during media briefing, Raja Riaz said that Indus Basin Waters Treaty was unjust and needed to be revisited. He was accompanied by PPP MPA Syed Muhammad Irtaza and other party leaders including Munir Ahmad Khan and Zekria Butt.
According to the Treaty, he added, India had only been allowed to use waters of the western rivers for the purpose of electricity generation, but it was misusing this provision by storing water which actually belonged to Pakistan. “As Punjab Minister for irrigation, I have serious objections to the treaty”, he remarked. When asked whether Kalabagh Dam was a political or technical issue, Raja gave a diplomatic answer by saying: “It is both political and technical.” He said efforts were underway to develop consensus between Punjab and Sindh about distribution of water.

 

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WATER CRISIS IN PAKISTAN

BY FARRUKH SOHAIL GOINDI

The most dreaded water scarcity event has at last hit Pakistan. This is nothing unexpected. The manner in which we have been used to handle our resources and national affairs, this catastrophic occurrence was bound to take us over. Nature�s endowment of water blessings upon Pakistan has always been envied by the world at large. At the time of independence 5000 cu/m of water was available for each Pakistani, which has now reduced to 1000 cu/m because of uncontrolled population growth.
Water is one resource that can not be generated it can only be preserved. Farsighted nations try to conserve each every drop of water available to them because they are aware of the fact that if this commodity is not prudently preserved and used, the human survival itself would be jeopardized and future wars would be fought for its possession and control. The only manner to conserve this resource known to man so far is to construct dams. Dams have been built for atleast 5000 years and, their functions have evolved with the developing needs of the society. Most likely, the earliest dams were built to store water for domestic and agriculture water supply. With the onset of industrial era, hydropower became a major reason to built dams. Presently dams are built to serve many other functions, such as, flood control, navigation, and recreation. According to an estimate the present volume of all storage reservoirs with gross capacity of 5 cu/km and above amounts to some 4900 cu/km. Out of this about 975 cu/km lie in North America while about 1770 cu/km are in Asia with majority in China. China has some 83000 reservoirs built for various purposes, of which 330 are major in size. While in Pakistan we have two major and about a dozen smaller reservoirs.
It has been said that all reservoirs are doomed to die. This is due to loss of their storage capacity because of sedimentation. Assuming a hundred year average life of reservoirs (Lake Mead, USA-350 years + Tarbela, Pakistan-40 years), the world is losing about 41 cu/km of storage capacity per year. Although we can not halt their termination yet, with our knowledge and effort we can delay this process and elongate their life. So far few methods are available for prolonging the storage and life of reservoirs. Among these the most frugal and resource preservation method is construction of series of dams on the river so as to trap the sediment inflows in the upstream reservoirs and store comparatively sediment free water in the lower reservoirs. It was estimated that Kalabagh reservoir life with Tarbela upstream and a conjunctive operation could be extended to 100+ years. The other operational methods include sediment sluicing alongwith water flows through the dam outlets and flushing of accumulated sediment through reservoir regulation methods; though these method involve trade off between stored water and reservoir capacity because stored water shall have to be passed through the dam unobstructed. Another method available is desiltation through dredging. This method is so expensive that construction of a new storage would cost about one twentieth of the cost of a similar reservoir.
Let us now recapitulate and make an assessment of ourselves to find out how and why we have suddenly become a water scarcity country from a water affluent country. Soon after the creation of Pakistan the country was faced with a number of serious problems including that of electricity and water shortage. The control of three out of five Punjab rivers had gone to India, which stopped the water supply to our canals feeding the eastern districts of theUnited Punjab and the Bhawalpur State.The unilateral action of the Indian Government ruined our cultivated land which was soon rendered dry and started becoming salinated. This affected the economy of the newly created country very badly and the danger of famine thus loomed over the nation. Pakistan therefore, had to mobilize her own resources. The search for alternate arrangements to sustain our mainly agrarian economy started. The construction of small dams on our rivers like Warsak on Kabul and Rohtas on Jhelum were taken up with the aid of Commonwealth countries. In addition, for gross utilization of the available water resources in the country, the Govt. of Pakistan set up an organization under the title �Dams Investigation Circle�(DIC) which was entrusted with the task of carrying out comprehensive survey for collecting the data and preparing the projects which may help in resolving the problems of water and energy shortage. By the end of May 1996, the DIC prepared a number of projects, which included Dams at Kalabagh on Indus River and Rohtas (later called Mangla) on Jhelum river.
Investigations for construction of a huge multipurpose dam on Indus River at Kalabagh were started in 1953 and its feasibility was submitted to the Govt. after getting approved by a group of expert foreign Consultants. The Govt. approved this in 1959, the year WAPDA came in to being. In 1960 a treaty between Pakistan and India was signed with World Bank mediation widely known as the �Indus Basin Treaty�. According to this treaty, control of waters of Ravi, Bias and Sutlej was given to India with the condition that the Indian Govt. will compensate for the loss of Pakistan and fully participate in the construction of the replacement works with the help of the World Bank and the other aid giving agencies. The replacement works included two large dams one on the Indus and the other on Jhelum, five barrages and eight link canals and a siphon for carrying the waters of Chenab River across the Sutlej River. The then Chief Martial Law Administrator and President Ayub Khan on behalf of the Pakistan Govt. and the Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jwaharlal Nehru on behalf of India signed the treaty; Eugene Blake signed the treaty on behalf of the World Bank. For the two large multipurpose dams on Indus and Jehlum Pakistan proposed sites at Kalabagh and Rohtas (later called Mangla). Kalabagh site choice for Pakistan was obvious since lot of investigation had been carried out at this site and a feasibility report duly prepared and approved by the GOP after check and scrutiny by the foreign experts and consultants.
In the meanwhile a group of shortsighted bureaucrats gathered around Ayub Khan and convinced him to switch over the construction site on Indus River from Kalabagh to Tarbela some 100 miles upstream. Unfortunately, Ayub Khan was neither a political leader nor had the wisdom to understand the implications of the counsel given to him. In fact it was some sort of intrigue weaved very carefully around Ayub Khan by some petty minded bureaucrats who had their own axe to grind rather than serve the national interest. On Ayub Khan�s insistence the design of dam at Tarbela site was prepared in great hurry, which was not based on detailed site investigations and thus had many inherent defects. The team of experts warned the GOP that this project would be a complete failure and the whole investment on this scheme will go down the drain. Incidentally no attention was paid to this warning. Ayub Khan soon came to know that the World Bank would not pay a single penny for this badly designed project of Tarbela Dam. Since, a large dam was part of the treaty, the GOP commenced work on Tarbela Dam out of the funds received for Kalabagh Dam and later approached other countries, who agreed to finance the project on terms and conditions favored to their interests. The reasons for switching over to Tarbela Dam were never made known to the public which ofcource was not in a position of raising any voice against the authority of the Martial Law Government. Kalabagh Dam was therefore thrown into the dustbin and all the resources were diverted towards Tarbela Dam. However, a lollypop was given to the nation stating that since it is intended to built a series of dams on the Indus river, soon after completion of Tarbela all machinery and trained man-power would be diverted towards construction of Kalabagh and later on completion of Kalabagh, these resources would be utilized for construction of dam(s)upstream of Tarbela at suitable sites.
Tarbela�s hurried and faulty design brought Pakistan near total catastrophe in 1974. It was only the Almighty that saved Pakistan from complete devastation. An accidental stuck-up of tunnel gates at Tarbela forced the operating authorities dump the full reservoir and when the reservoir was completely depleted it was found that large sink holes have developed on the immediate upstream of the dam. This is a phenomenon akin to silent heart attack, which results into sudden cardiac arrest without warning. With a newly full reservoir no one could visualize such a happening and one fine morning there would have been no dam resulting into the whole country being under 4-6 feet of water.
The story of Kalabagh does not end here. During Bhutto era need for another storage seriously cropped up and research and studies with the help of both local and foreign consultants were carried out to develop the Kalabagh feasibility studies into full fledge project design. This design was deliberated by top world experts on dam design, reservoir sedimentation and operation. Due care was given to various implications involved and engineering solutions based on sophisticated techniques were chalked out. During Zia regime the World Bank committed some U.S. $7.0 billion and kept this amount earmarked for about three years. Then suddenly an intrigue based on dirty politics sealed the fate of the Kalabagh Dam for all times to come. A powerful General who was Governor of NWFP in order to put pressure on Zia for reasons best known to them, in connivance with some Consultants started marking high flood level marks on the houses, graveyards, mosques and other permanent structures, and set a wave of alarm among the public of fear of their drowning. This disturbance among the people was played up so much that a strong resistance started developing among the inhabitants of NWFP against the Dam. Most unfortunately, these high flood level marks were neither based on facts nor had any basis. The dam designers in particular and the engineering community in general based on actual studies proved and showed that even in the worst scenario when both Tarbela and Kalabagh are full and an unprecedented historic flash flood occurs, the high flood level would not reach to a stage so as to cause any damage to the populace. With regard to the fear of waterlogging in the Nowshera valley adequate provision was made for tubewell installations as part of the Kalabagh project. But, the shot had been fired and before the NWFP people fears could be quelled, the Sindh Province came out with an entirely opposite objection to the Kalabagh Dam building i.e. drought and water scarcity. The controversy has reached to an extent that today almost every one in Pakistan has formed opinion either for or against the Kalabagh Dam.
If we look deep into the controversy we would clearly see the mistrust and distrust between the Provinces being an outcome of the suppression caused by autocratic rules and absence of democratic forces needed to freely vent and mitigate the negative forces.
Coming back to the water scarcity problem, we find that absence of additional storages have forced us to burden Tarbela most adversely by inflicting continued low level drawdowns which caused racing of large sediment deposits within the reservoir towards the Dam much before than expected. To retard the movement of sediment towards the Dam it was required to keep the minimum pool level higher so as to keep the delta away from the Dam and maintain the reservoir�s live storage as much as possible. For example, Tarbela minimum pool level initially was fixed at El. 1300 and later with the increase in sediment inflows was to be gradually raised to El. 1400 and if need arises even higher. But, successive dry years forced us to operate the reservoir at lower levels and as a result the toe of the delta has almost reached upto to mouth of the intakes. As such, this year we are forced to stop water releases from the reservoir at El. 1369 and, if we venture to lower it further all silt, sand and debris would pass through the power intakes and damage the turbines to an extent that the power house shall have to be closed for repairs involving heavy amount of foreign exchange.
The Kalabagh controversy started some 15 years back and during this period we did nothing but to concentrate on rhetoric for or against Kalabagh. Although it was known that consensus on construction of a new reservoir above or below Kalabagh will take some time and when it somehow gets finalized then preparation of its feasibility, design and then construction all would involve not less than 15 years. One preference for Kalabagh is that its designs are prepared and even the tender documents are ready.
It is a well-known fact that in the world most lucrative projects were conceived but resisted and washed out by envoirmentalists. That never was construed as end of the day. Planners always have alternate plans ready, which unfortunately we miserably lack. Prudence demanded that during the last 15 years we should have worked on sites other than Kalabagh and reached a level from where the actual construction commences. Not only that, we should have educated ourselves through research and study of Tarbela reservoir sedimentation processes and upgraded our knowledge of the complexity of reservoir sedimentation.
The engineering interest in reservoir sedimentation concerns three physical aspects; (i) overall volume of trapped sediment, (ii) distribution of deposit volume, and (iii) distribution of sediment particle size within the reservoir. The loss of storage capacity due to sediment deposits reduces the efficacy of a reservoir to regulate the flow and to provide a flood control. The distribution of volume of deposit determines the relative impact of trapped sediment on the usable storage, and the distribution of particle size effects the density of deposits as well as the potential damage caused by the ingress of sediment into the power inlets.
A number of approaches have been developed in the world to study these phenomenon. These include empirical methods; mathematical modeling and physical modeling but all these approaches have their limitations and need research and study to evaluate their effectiveness. Tarbela reservoir is one such place where ideal conditions exist to enhance our knowledge in area of sedimentation engineering.
WAPDA was established to develop the water and power resources of the country. It was structured as a multi-disciplinary organization with wide autonomy of working. It was at its Zenith when it most successfully and in record time completed world�s gigantic Indus Basin Project. Although, after the Indus Basin Project no new large construction project with the exception of SCARP was handled by WAPDA yet, it continued its effective and productive role of water development through research and studies. Between 1974 to1987 under its aegis world�s largest ever undertaken prototype research in the mechanics of alluvial channels using the canals and rivers of Pakistan was undertaken with the collaborative sponsorship and funding from the National Science Foundation of USA. The accomplishments under this research endeavor provided worldwide designers of the alluvial channels new approaches based on phenomenon hither to unknown and unobserved. Later, the WAPDA organization entrusted with this research project was elevated into an international sedimentation research institute in order to use its knowledge and expertise to research and study the complex processes of sedimentation, the biggest menace and threat to the water resources whether these are flowing or conserved.
Then a gradual apathy, unconcern and indifference on WAPDA�s part towards its basic objective of development of water and power resources tookover; most probably due to the attitude of its higher-ups who considered WAPDA�s role solely of a revenue collection agency. Unfortunately, those under the top brass were also insensitive towards the sophisticated expertise developed within the organization and therefore did not have the capability of properly guiding or counseling the decision-makers. The net result was that organizations that were built in decades were destroyed and reduced to shambles in months. The star international sedimentation research institute is now dumped into few katcha garages in a remote corner of the city. All its sophisticated equipment has either been reduced to junk or pilfered and all the expertise gained totally lost. This world renowned research institute is now headed by a Sr. Engr. who has been promoted from a mechanical overseer. Similarly, another organization, which was developed from Dams Investigation Circle (mentioned earlier), is under so much fear and harassment that its employees have practically lost all nerve. This organization is also being headed by a mechanical engineer who does not know even basics of dam engineering.

Various periodic inspections of Tarbela Dam by experts recommended different solutions to tackle the sedimentation problems of the reservoir. For testing and researching these solutions it was proposed that immediately a physical model studies laboratory be established at Tarbela site. This laboratory would not only undertake a comprehensive research and study to find solutions to Tarbela problems but also cater for future needs of other projects on the Indus River and its tributaries. In this regard collaborative efforts were made with a prestigious Chinese sedimentation research institute. But, with the departure of those who were instrumental in developing of this collaborative activity with the Chinese, every thing was thrown to airs. The Chinese are constructing a very large dam namely �Three Gorges Project�. This project is not only being researched in a physical-modeling laboratory at the site but at every major engineering university in the country. What a pity? We who claim to have world�s most integrated water resource and conveyance system do not have even one laboratory in the country capable of studying dams, reservoirs or sedimentation problems. On the other hand, as announced by the Chief Executive, we are planning to construct a number of reservoirs and, unfortunately, do not posses the basic infrastructure to study the complexities involved. The one laboratory at Nandipure under the Punjab Irrigation Department is not even sufficient to handle Punjab Irrigation�s own problems and the efficacy and efficiency of this laboratory portrays the same story of apathy.
WAPDA has now come up with its dream of �vision 2025�. With the present level of in-house knowledge and expertise can it even initiate such a utopic program? We talk of constructing projects like Bhasha Dam. Unfortunately, we think of Bhasha probably similar to a plaza. This project is going to be far more problematic than Tarbela (Refer Panel of Experts Report-1988). No local firm (s) is capable of undertaking its investigations without active collaboration of foreign experts/specialists. Had we continued the research and study efforts started way back within WAPDA, we by now would have achieved a level of knowledge whereby our dependency on foreign expertise had been minimal. But, we wasted all opportunities and chances. No we can do nothing but hold Namaz- e- Istasqa.

 

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Kharif 2000 River Water Distribution and Management

by

The Reformers
Water Management and Distribution Committee:

Chairman: Engr. A. N. G. Abbasi
Members: Engr. Shaikh Manzoor Ahmed
Engr. Kazi Abdul Majid
Engr. Qamaruddin Sahto
Syed Syed Qamar uz Zaman Shah


December 2000

The Reformers




KHARIF 200 - RIVER WATER DISTRIBUTION & MANAGEMENT

1. Introduction

Pakistan depends almost entirely on the flows of the three western rivers of Indus system for its requirements of irrigated agriculture. The flow pattern of our rivers is however highly erratic. This is evident from the fact that the highest annual flows in the western rivers in the recorded history since the year 1922-23 was 186.76 MAF in the year 1959-60 as against the minimum of 97.4 MAF in the year 1974-75. The maximum Kharif water availability was 154.74 MAF during 1959-60 against the minimum of 79.4 MAF in the year 1974-75. The water according to requirements / allocations of the existing canal systems is therefore not available during the years of low flows in the rivers. In such a situation the shortages have to be shared equitably.


2. Basis for sharing of shortage of river water

2.1. The Indus Water Accord was signed by the provinces on 16 March 1991, soon after it was ratified by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The paras 14(a) and (b) of the Water Accord lay down the basis for sharing the shortages and surpluses of river water. These paras of the Water Accord are reproduced below: -

14 (a) The system-wise allocation will be worked out separately, on ten daily basis and will be attached with this agreement as part and parcel of it.

14 (b) The record of actual average system uses for the period 1977-82, would form the guidelines for developing a future regulation pattern. These ten daily uses would be adjusted pro-rata to correspond to the indicated seasonal allocations of the different canal systems and would form the basis for sharing shortages and surpluses on all Pakistan basis.

2.2. The above provisions of the Water Accord are quite clear, specific and unambiguous. The Accord clearly and specifically lays down that the actual average system uses for the period 1977-82 would form the "GUIDE LINE FOR DEVELOPING" a future regulation pattern. These ten daily uses would be adjusted to correspond to the indicated seasonal allocations of different canal systems and would form the BASIS for sharing shortages and surpluses on all Pakistan basis. The ten daily system wise allocations were worked out accordingly in the year 1991 and were made part and parcel of the Accord after approval of the CCI. The sharing of the surpluses and shortages cannot therefore be made on any other basis than that clearly laid down in the Water Accord.

2.3. Since the signing of the Water Accord, the sharing of shortages and surpluses of river water was being made in accordance with the above mentioned clear and specific provisions of the Accord. However in recent years, these specific provisions of the Water Accord have been flagrantly violated and some other formula of "historic uses" used for water sharing to the detriment of the lower riparian provinces. There is no mention whatsoever of "historic uses" anywhere in the Accord. The provision of paras 14(a) and (b) of the Accord are the only operative cannons of the Accord, which if violated will result in the whole Accord becoming redundant and meaningless. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has been set up under para 13 of the Accord for the implementation of the Accord. This Authority being the custodian of the Accord, has the responsibility to ensure that the Accord provisions are faithfully followed. Neither IRSA, nor any other authority is empowered to go against clear and specific provisions of the Accord.


3. Distribution of water during Kharif 2000

3.1. In Kharif 2000, the water availability in the rivers was very low. This situation required that the available water should have been managed properly and the shortages shared equitably in accordance with the Accord. However there were serious complaints from growers of lower riparian provinces i.e. Sindh and Balochistan regarding improper and inequitable management and distribution of water. In this paper, an attempt has been made to analyse the available data to assess the situation. In this respect, the details of water supplied to the provinces, by IRSA/WAPDA, on 10 daily basis compared to the Accord allocation have been collected.

3.2. A statement showing province wise Water Accord allocations and actual withdrawals during Kharif 2000 is given in Annexure I. A close study of statement reveals the following: -

(i) Against the Water Accord allocation of 74.665 MAF, the total canal withdrawals of the four provinces during Kharif 2000 were 55.705 MAF which was 25.4% less than the Accord allocation. (Allocations of the four provinces during Kharif under the Water Accord below rim stations are 77.34 MAF, but the allocations indicated by IRSA in Table at Annexure I are shown as 74.665 MAF. This is due to some variations in the figure of allocations for NWFP as shown in the IRSA statement, which is different from the Accord figures. However since there has been no complaint whatsoever from NWFP, the figures given by IRSA are not being disputed at this stage). The above figures show that a quantity of 21.635 MAF less than the Water Accord allocations (18.960 MAF less according to IRSA figures) was supplied to the provinces during the season.

(ii) Punjab got 29.497 MAF against their allocation of 37.059 MAF, which is 20.4%, less; Sindh got 23.81 MAF against their allocation of 33.936 MAF, which is 29.9% less; Balochistan got 1.6564 MAF against their allocation of 2.847 MAF, which is 41.9% less and NWFP got 0.774 MAF against their accord allocation of 0.823 MAF, which is 6.0% less. Thus the lower riparian provinces of Sindh and Balochistan have been the worst sufferers.

(iii) During the various 10 daily periods of Kharif 2000 (excluding month of April when there was general shortage and no water in storages), the extent of reduced supplies of 20% and above to the four provinces is given in the table below




Shortage Punjab Sindh Balochistan NWFP
Above 50% --- 3 1 ---
Between 50% to 40% 1 1 6 ---
Between 40% to 30% 1 2 2 ---
Between 30% to 20% --- 3 5 ---
Total 20% and above
(out of 15 10-daily periods,
May to September) 2 9 14 Nil

The above table indicates that the lower riparian provinces of Sindh and Balochistan have suffered to great extent particularly during crucial sowing and maturity periods.


4. Basic principles of regulation of reservoirs and Indus Link Canals

4.1. A reservoir is like a water bank where water is stored when it is surplus and withdrawn when it is needed. As such the basic principle for regulation of reservoirs is that water has to be stored when it is surplus to the requirements/allocations of the present canal systems during Kharif season to be utilized subsequently during periods of shortage. In no case the water is to be stored in the reservoirs when the available flows are not enough to meet the current requirements/allocations. Moreover during the Kharif season the reservoirs have to be operated for balancing, so that the fluctuations in the river flows are absorbed in the reservoirs and steady flow maintained in the rivers downstream even during shortage period.

4.2. The Indus Link Canals have to be operated for transfer of Indus Water to the tributaries when the water available in Indus is more than the allocations of the canals on that system and the water in the tributary rivers is less than the allocations of the canals on that system.


5. Actual operation of reservoirs during Kharif 2000

5.1. From the operational data of Kharif 2000, the following points regarding operation of reservoirs and Link Canals have been noticed: -

(i) Inspite of very low water availability in the rivers, water was stored in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs in a free style without any regard to the current allocations/requirements, particularly of lower riparian provinces. At the end of the season, Tarbela reservoir was full to capacity and Mangla was also almost full. A total of about 13-14 MAF of water was stored, though the Canals Systems received nearly 21 MAF less during the season.

(ii) The storage in Mangla reservoir was started on 14th April 2000 when there was acute shortage of water in the rivers and there was growing demand in Sindh where sowing season starts early. The storage in Mangla continued unabated throughout Kharif season, inspite of severe shortage of water in lower provinces.

(iii) Similarly the water was stored in Tarbela in shortage period during July II and III, August III and September when there was peak demand and acute shortage of water in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.

5.3. A statement showing the water stored in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs when the water availability in river was much less than required to meet with the allocations is enclosed as Annexure II. This statement reveals that 2.701 MAF of water was stored in Mangla reservoir and 3.410 MAF was stored in Tarbela reservoir i.e. total of 6.111 MAF was stored during the extreme shortage periods. The effects of shortage of water could have been mitigated to a great extent if the storage was not done in such an arbitrary manner. The lower riparian provinces bore the brunt of this gross misregulation.


6. Release of water from reservoirs during September 2000 and its utilization

6.1. A quantity of 1.186 MAF water was released from Tarbela reservoir during September II and further quantity of 1.266 MAF was released during September III. Thus a total quantity of 2.452 MAF was released from Tarbela during September 2000. In addition a quantity of 0.474 MAF was also released from Mangla during September 2000. This water was released notwithstanding the fact that during the shortage period in April to July when there was acute shortage of water in lower provinces, no water was released from the reservoirs and on the contrary it was being stored particularly in Mangla Dam.

6.2. During the same period September II and III a quantity of 1.044 MAF of water was diverted from the River Indus through C.J. link and T.P. link canals. Thus large portion of water released from Tarbela during September II and III was diverted through the Indus Link Canals though the lower provinces of Sindh and Balochistan faced acute shortage of water during this crucial maturity period of crops. Moreover 0.474 MAF of water released from Mangla during September was also totally utilized in the upper regions. A statement showing the water released from Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs during Kharif 2000 and diverted through Indus Link Canals is givn in Annexure III.


7. Operation of Indus Link Canals during Kharif 2000

7.1. As explained above, the Indus Link Canals are to be opened if and when the water available in Indus is more than the allocations of the canals settled on the system and the water available in the tributaries is less than the allocations of canals settled on that system. However the Indus Link Canals (C.J. link and T.P. link) were opened on 28/29 April 2000 at a time when there was acute shortage of water in Sindh during crucial sowing period of cotton. Strangely enough, at the same time when links were opened, water was being stored in Mangla reservoir, from which it is evident that there was no shortage of water in the tributary system to justify the opening of Link Canals.

7.2. Moreover the link canals were opened by reducing the water downstream Chashma and Taunsa Barrages instead of waiting for the river to rise so that the opening of the Link Canals would not have affected the downstream water users in the lower riparian areas in Sindh and Balochistan. Due to opening of the link canals in the end of April, heavy negative fluctuations were passed downstream which resulted in huge reduction of discharge at Gudu Barrage in early May even below the previous level which was already much less than required according to the allocations.

7.3. The Indus Link Canals (C.J. and T.P. Link) continued to operate almost throughout the season inspite of acute shortage of water in the lower riparian provinces. A statement showing the diversion of water from Indus through the Link Canals is enclosed as Annexure IV. This shows that huge quantity 6.173 MAF of water was diverted through the Link Canals.

8. Heavy fluctuations caused due to misregulation of river water in reservoirs

8.1. As stated above the purpose of a reservoir is to store surplus water of Kharif for use during subsequent shortage periods. Also the reservoir is used for balancing of the available river water during Kharif season itself so that fluctuations in river flows are absorbed in the reservoir and steady flow maintained downstream. However during Kharif 2000 heavy fluctuations were passed downstream Chashma/Taunsa Barrages which resulted in irregular and erratic supplies at Gudu Barrage and caused further damage to the crops in Sindh and Balochistan. It also created problems in regulation and management of the rotation programs. Some details of the fluctuations during different 10 daily periods of Kharif 2000 are given in Annexure IV.


9. Adverse effects of mismanagement of water distribution and misregulation of reservoirs and Indus Link Canals

(1) The sowing of Kharif crops in Sindh and Balochistan particularly cotton and rice was delayed by more than one month.

(2) The area under Kharif crops was reduced.

(3) Due to late sowing and insufficient water after sowing and during maturity period the yield of the crops was reduced.

(4) Heavy fluctuations even during shortage period caused further difficulties in regulating the water and enforcing rotation programme.

10. Conclusions

(i) The river water has been grossly mismanaged and misregulated during Kharif 2000.

(ii) Sindh and Balochistan have been deprived of due share of water under the Water Accord during Kharif 2000.

(iii) Water was stored in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs to the extent of 13-14 MAF though the Canal Systems received 21 MAF less than their allocations during the season. Out of this quantity, 6.111 MAF of water was stored during the periods when there was acute shortage of water in Sindh and Balochistan. Water was also diverted through Indus Link Canals (C.J. and T.P. Links) at times when there was severe shortage of water in Sindh and Balochistan and they were not receiving their due share of water according to their allocations. The Link Canals were opened in April 2000 by reducing the already short water quantity, which was being supplied to lower riparian provinces at that time.

(iv) Heavy fluctuations were passed downstream Chashma/Taunsa barrages, which created further problems for Sindh and Balochistan.

(v) IRSA/WAPDA are responsible for this mal-distribution and mismanagement of river water. The Federal Government also did not exercise adequate control over these organizations to ensure proper management and equitable distribution of river water.

 

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or decades, the Chenab River has been one of the main sources of irrigation for millions of farmers in northern Pakistan.

But a dramatic decline in rainfall in the region is threatening to dry out the vital river, a problem many Pakistanis say is being compounded by a hydroelectric project across the border in India.

Agricultural experts say the falling water levels could eventually put all of Pakistan's agriculture at risk.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra reports from Faisalabad province, where swaths of lush green wheat fields have turned a faded yellow. (22 March 2010)

 

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---------- Post added at 05:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 AM ----------

 

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If one watches carefully in video one at 46 sec video shows footage of Ayub khan and shastri signing Tashkent agreement of 1965 which reporter mentions as IWT signing which was signed between nehru and ayub.

 

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Now the real stealing of water is going on with in pakistan itself as the following dawn article reveals that according to IRSA nearly 50000 cusec of water gets stolen between Chashma and kotri barrages...In the end to avoid friction between provinces this will be blamed on india.

Irsa acts to defuse water dispute​

ISLAMABAD: With water theft between Chashma and Kotri barrages surging to a record 50,000 cusecs, the Indus River System Authority is expected to oblige Punjab on Friday by allowing it to draw 5,000 cusecs from the Chashma-Jhelum link canal to end a political deadlock over the issue.

Sources said that Irsa was coming under increasing criticism over the water issue and was considering to meet Punjab’s demand for about 5,000 cusecs from Chashma-Jhelum and 1,000 cusecs from the Greater Thal Canal.

Non-acceptance of this demand had resulted in strong letters from the Punjab government which stopped its member from attending Irsa meetings.

The sources said that Irsa on Tuesday increased water releases from Tarbela dam to 95,000 cusecs from 90,000 cusecs. It also increased discharges from the Chashma barrage to 135,000 cusecs from 125,000 cusecs. Water discharges from Mangla have been increased from 38,000 cusecs to 48,000 cusecs to meet additional water requirements.

The sources said that Irsa was now convinced that irrigation officials in both Sindh and Punjab were involved in water theft because losses between Chashma to Kotri barrages had increased to an unbelievable 50,000 cusecs.

The sources said that about 21,000 cusecs of water was disappearing between Chashma and Taunsa, 20,000 cusecs between Taunsa and Guddu and 9,000 cusecs between Guddu and Kotri.

Irsa believed that irrigation authorities sold water in large quantities to big landholders through tubewells and heavy motors. They said for this reason provincial officials were not providing accurate data of discharges to Irsa.

The sources said the Rs340 million telemetry system installed for collecting authentic data through computerised gauges had been made dysfunctional by design.

 

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Again in dawn there was saparate news article blaming pakistan rangers and the influential people in pakistan of water theft....posting the important points below from same article......

Dangerous portents

A short excerpt from this newspaper of April 6. “Accusing the army and Rangers of being involved in ‘blatant water theft’, the Punjab irrigation department has urged the chief minister to ‘immediately take up the matter at appropriate level’.

“Water theft has become a serious issue over the past two decades and is seriously affecting canal operations and equitable distribution of water. Theft by influential people at the head-reaches results in water shortage and deprives the poor farmers at the tail of these channels. Against this backdrop, water theft by state agencies robs the department of any moral authority to go after small farmers.”

The summary goes on to cite specific cases and has named the formations/units involved, alleging that in Bahawalpur Zone alone, 356 cusecs of water is being stolen every day. Detailing instances of water theft in other divisions, the summary states that Okara and Sheikhupura are also affected with this theft going on there too.

It also gives details of an incident in which army soldiers first abused and then “took away” for a time a sub divisional officer, when a party of police and irrigation department officials came to close an unauthorised outlet in Bahawalpur. The summary points out that the stolen water irrigates encroached lands, and that because more land is encroached upon every year, more water is required resulting in a still higher incidence of water theft.

 

[ajtr]

anothr news article on same subject of water stealing by rangers....Now these reports are coming from with in pakistan and in pakistani newspapers...

The great water debate

When hard times come, it is the sensible thing to tighten one’s belt and prevent waste. Yet in Pakistan, according to Alam, some 40 per cent of irrigation water is either wasted or stolen. Recently, the Punjab government accused the Rangers of stealing water from a canal. Surely the government must move to reduce this leakage. Charging a higher price that reflects the scarcity value of water would help prevent waste. Agriculture is not unusual in many arid regions, so drip irrigation, for instance, is not rocket science.

 

[ajtr]

Pakistan: Punjab Irrigation Department accuses Pak Army and Rangers of stealing Water​

The Punjab irrigation department has accused the army and Rangers of being involved in water theft. The possibility that state institutions may be engaged in the theft of water makes a bad situation worse as Pakistan is facing an acute water crisis.

The government’s job of preventing small farmers and ordinary citizens from stealing water becomes all the more difficult when elements of the establishment themselves are allegedly involved in the practice.

Going 'down the drain'

The pre-eminent political issue of water seems to be more about our own habits and our abuse and disregard of an existential and rapidly depleting resource. Yesterday, a newspaper reported that the irrigation department of the Government of Punjab has accused the Rangers and the army of theft of water from the canals in the Bahawlapur and Lahore Zones. How come no one is asking questions and how come, given these circumstances, there are people openly accusing India of being responsible for our water-related issues?