Water released into link canal for Punjab despite shortage in Sindh

[Adnan Faruqi]

Water released into link canal for Punjab despite shortage in Sindh

HYDERABAD, July 9: The Indus River System Authority has decided to release 8,000 cusecs of water into the Chashma-Jhelum link canal daily to irrigate land in Punjab and store water in Mangla dam at the expense of Sindh, which faces a severe water shortage for Kharif season.

Punjab’s demand for release of 16,000 cusecs into the CJ canal would be discussed at a meeting of the water regulatory body, Irsa chairman Mazhar Ali Shah told Dawn on phone from Islamabad on Monday.He said 6,000 cusecs was being stored in Mangla on a daily basis and Sindh could claim its share from the dam water during Rabi or early Kharif season next year.

“Water needs to be stored to offset shortages during Rabi and Sindh can claim its share from the water being given to CJ link canal now for Trimmu headworks,” Mr Shah added.

He claimed water flows were improving, saying that total flows were recorded at 482,000 cusecs on Sunday (July 8) while the volume on the same day last year was 270,000 cusecs.

“Sindh’s problem is the big distance between Chashma Barrage and Guddu, and then between Sukkur and Kotri barrages. This delays water availability,” the Irsa chief observed.

Water records obtained by Dawn indicate that CJ link canal had been in operation since May when Punjab received 1,000 cusecs for Greater Thal Canal. It was operated last month as well and then in July it started getting 6,000 cusecs, rising to 7,000 cusecs on July 5 and 8,000 cusecs on July 7.

The May-June period saw severe water shortages at barrages in Sindh, Kotri being the worst hit. Kotri barrage’s command areas usually see early Kharif sowing because of a climatic edge over other provinces.

But farmers were unable to capitalise on it this year once again. Even the peak of Kharif season was hit by persistent water shortages.

In early Kharif, Kotri barrage recorded a shortage of up to 80 per cent. “On an average, every barrage experienced a 20 per cent shortage as of July 8,” an official said.

‘WHERE IS SURPLUS WATER’: Growers in Sindh oppose release of water into CJ link canal unless the province’s water needs are met. “Can anyone tell us where is the surplus water from which they [Irsa] are releasing water into CJ link canal after meeting our requirements,” wondered Mehmood Nawaz Shah, general secretary of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB).

The Irsa had been filling the Mangla dam for past 25 days at the expense of Sindh, which was alone putting up with shortage in the system, he alleged.

When water was released into CJ link canal, he said, Irsa had to make sure it flowed continuously. “Do they reduce flows in the canal when overall water flows show a drop? No. They have to keep supplying water to the canal. That’s why we say that unless Sindh consents to opening of CJ link canal water can’t be diverted to it,” he said.

He said that 50 per cent water shortage persisted in the command areas of Sukkur and Kotri barrages. “Even if there is a shortage of 10 per cent at Sukkur barrage, water shouldn’t be stored in dams because this 10 per cent deficit leads to a big cumulative effect when water reaches farmlands.

We concede there are carrying losses and some internal mismanagement too,” he added.

This year, cultivation of rice crop has been seriously hit in Sindh. Early sowing of Kharif in lower Sindh region came under severe stress. Rice cultivation in upper Sindh where paddy nurseries were not prepared till June was also affected.

Growers usually prepare nurseries in May which need 25 days to be ready for transplantation. The nurseries are being prepared in July this year which will affect per acre yield.

“Sindh has a share in water stored in Mangla Dam if there is shortage but it is not given to the province,” he said.

The irrigation department did write to Irsa for Sindh’s requirements and now Sindh’s indent has been met at Chashma barrage.
The Irsa, therefore, is supplying water to CJ link canal, said Sindh irrigation secretary Babar Effendi.

An official at Sukkur barrage control room said the barrage was witnessing improvement in flows and shortage had dropped to 13 per cent. “The barrage received 91,025 cusecs on July 7 against required 130,000 cusecs. Total allocation of barrage’s seven canals is 63,400 cusecs in July’s first ten daily but the canals are getting 54,000 cusecs,” he said.

“Kotri needs 34,200 cusecs and to meet this demand, 50,000 cusecs needs to be released downstream Sukkur after adding 16,000 cusecs towards travelling losses. Only then Kotri barrage will get 34,000 cusecs. But downstream discharge of Sukkur is 35,850 cusecs so it is still short of enough water to offset shortage at Kotri barrage,” he said.

About 25 to 30 per cent shortage at Kotri barrage is being reported which is having 22,000 cusecs against a requirement of 38,000 cusecs. There are no releases for Kotri downstream, according to an official at the barrage control centre.

“Water level at Chashma barrage downstream was recorded at 223,000 cusecs on Thursday. It will take another week to improve flows at Sukkur upstream,” said the official.

Balochistan also faces water shortage.

The province is not getting its share of 11,900 cusecs from Guddu and Sukkur barrages. It gets 9,500 cusecs from Pat Feeder canal of Guddu barrage and 2,400 cusecs through Garang regulator of North Western Canal fed by Sukkur barrage.

In all, it has a share of around 11,900 cusecs, as determined by Irsa and is to be given from Sindh. Currently, it is getting 10,500 cusecs _ 1,500 from Sukkur barrage and 9,000 from Guddu.

“We need our pond level at 199.3RL and 130,000 cusecs at the barrage to meet allocations of seven canals of Sindh and those of Balochistan. Currently, pond level is 198.3RL,” said Aziz Memon, in charge at Sukkur barrage control room.Water released into link canal despite shortage in Sindh | DAWN.COM

 

[Rusty]

You are clearly trying to troll to please your Hindu masters.
Don't worry bro, a day will come where you won't have to curse Pakistan to assure the safety of yourself and your family.

 

[Areesh]

You are clearly trying to troll to please your Hindu masters.
Don't worry bro, a day will come where you won't have to curse Pakistan to assure the safety of yourself and your family.

In case if he is a muslim. And not the same old case.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

...
Don't worry bro, a day will come where you won't have to curse Pakistan to assure the safety of yourself and your family.

You can judge peoples' actions (and that includes speech) but not their intentions. Remember that there were many Muslims that chose to stay with India in 1947, making that ideology the dominant one among those of them in that country. Just to remind us again, many Hindus, especially where i come from, chose to stay with Pakistan (remember riots only occured in Panjab and Bangal, everywhere else as in Sindh nobody was forced to stay or to leave, people simply chose what they inclined toward), and they do not curse India to assure their safety in Pakistan, so why would the Muslims of India?

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

If Punjab and sindh were two countries , Then Punjab for its needs would had many dams and Sindh would have been all dry out , lucky they are in one country and share water.

 

[forcetrip]

If Punjab and sindh were two countries , Then Punjab for its needs would had many dams and Sindh would have been all dry out , lucky they are in one country and share water.

Dams mean storage, not calamity.

 

[Yogi]

If Punjab and sindh were two countries , Then Punjab for its needs would had many dams and Sindh would have been all dry out , lucky they are in one country and share water.

It ain't that way bro u just can't divert all water else don't u think india would have done that long time back

Whenever there r two or more countries share the same source of water there r always water treaties n if one party likes to go on misadventure the other can always go to internation courts or the worst part war

N n had sindh been a diff country just imagine where ur economy would have been
Leave sindh just image pakistan's economy without karachi

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

If Punjab and sindh were two countries , Then Punjab for its needs would had many dams and Sindh would have been all dry out , lucky they are in one country and share water.

9 countries are sharing the Nile, although one has the lion's share.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Water released into link canal for Punjab despite shortage in Sindh

HYDERABAD, July 9: The Indus River System Authority has decided to release 8,000 cusecs of water into the Chashma-Jhelum link canal daily to irrigate land in Punjab and store water in Mangla dam at the expense of Sindh, which faces a severe water shortage for Kharif season.

Punjab’s demand for release of 16,000 cusecs into the CJ canal would be discussed at a meeting of the water regulatory body, Irsa chairman Mazhar Ali Shah told Dawn on phone from Islamabad on Monday.He said 6,000 cusecs was being stored in Mangla on a daily basis and Sindh could claim its share from the dam water during Rabi or early Kharif season next year.

“Water needs to be stored to offset shortages during Rabi and Sindh can claim its share from the water being given to CJ link canal now for Trimmu headworks,” Mr Shah added.

He claimed water flows were improving, saying that total flows were recorded at 482,000 cusecs on Sunday (July 8) while the volume on the same day last year was 270,000 cusecs.

“Sindh’s problem is the big distance between Chashma Barrage and Guddu, and then between Sukkur and Kotri barrages. This delays water availability,” the Irsa chief observed.

Water records obtained by Dawn indicate that CJ link canal had been in operation since May when Punjab received 1,000 cusecs for Greater Thal Canal. It was operated last month as well and then in July it started getting 6,000 cusecs, rising to 7,000 cusecs on July 5 and 8,000 cusecs on July 7.

The May-June period saw severe water shortages at barrages in Sindh, Kotri being the worst hit. Kotri barrage’s command areas usually see early Kharif sowing because of a climatic edge over other provinces.

But farmers were unable to capitalise on it this year once again. Even the peak of Kharif season was hit by persistent water shortages.

In early Kharif, Kotri barrage recorded a shortage of up to 80 per cent. “On an average, every barrage experienced a 20 per cent shortage as of July 8,” an official said.

‘WHERE IS SURPLUS WATER’: Growers in Sindh oppose release of water into CJ link canal unless the province’s water needs are met. “Can anyone tell us where is the surplus water from which they [Irsa] are releasing water into CJ link canal after meeting our requirements,” wondered Mehmood Nawaz Shah, general secretary of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB).

The Irsa had been filling the Mangla dam for past 25 days at the expense of Sindh, which was alone putting up with shortage in the system, he alleged.

When water was released into CJ link canal, he said, Irsa had to make sure it flowed continuously. “Do they reduce flows in the canal when overall water flows show a drop? No. They have to keep supplying water to the canal. That’s why we say that unless Sindh consents to opening of CJ link canal water can’t be diverted to it,” he said.

He said that 50 per cent water shortage persisted in the command areas of Sukkur and Kotri barrages. “Even if there is a shortage of 10 per cent at Sukkur barrage, water shouldn’t be stored in dams because this 10 per cent deficit leads to a big cumulative effect when water reaches farmlands.

We concede there are carrying losses and some internal mismanagement too,” he added.

This year, cultivation of rice crop has been seriously hit in Sindh. Early sowing of Kharif in lower Sindh region came under severe stress. Rice cultivation in upper Sindh where paddy nurseries were not prepared till June was also affected.

Growers usually prepare nurseries in May which need 25 days to be ready for transplantation. The nurseries are being prepared in July this year which will affect per acre yield.

“Sindh has a share in water stored in Mangla Dam if there is shortage but it is not given to the province,” he said.

The irrigation department did write to Irsa for Sindh’s requirements and now Sindh’s indent has been met at Chashma barrage.
The Irsa, therefore, is supplying water to CJ link canal, said Sindh irrigation secretary Babar Effendi.

An official at Sukkur barrage control room said the barrage was witnessing improvement in flows and shortage had dropped to 13 per cent. “The barrage received 91,025 cusecs on July 7 against required 130,000 cusecs. Total allocation of barrage’s seven canals is 63,400 cusecs in July’s first ten daily but the canals are getting 54,000 cusecs,” he said.

“Kotri needs 34,200 cusecs and to meet this demand, 50,000 cusecs needs to be released downstream Sukkur after adding 16,000 cusecs towards travelling losses. Only then Kotri barrage will get 34,000 cusecs. But downstream discharge of Sukkur is 35,850 cusecs so it is still short of enough water to offset shortage at Kotri barrage,” he said.

About 25 to 30 per cent shortage at Kotri barrage is being reported which is having 22,000 cusecs against a requirement of 38,000 cusecs. There are no releases for Kotri downstream, according to an official at the barrage control centre.

“Water level at Chashma barrage downstream was recorded at 223,000 cusecs on Thursday. It will take another week to improve flows at Sukkur upstream,” said the official.

Balochistan also faces water shortage.

The province is not getting its share of 11,900 cusecs from Guddu and Sukkur barrages. It gets 9,500 cusecs from Pat Feeder canal of Guddu barrage and 2,400 cusecs through Garang regulator of North Western Canal fed by Sukkur barrage.

In all, it has a share of around 11,900 cusecs, as determined by Irsa and is to be given from Sindh. Currently, it is getting 10,500 cusecs _ 1,500 from Sukkur barrage and 9,000 from Guddu.

“We need our pond level at 199.3RL and 130,000 cusecs at the barrage to meet allocations of seven canals of Sindh and those of Balochistan. Currently, pond level is 198.3RL,” said Aziz Memon, in charge at Sukkur barrage control room.Water released into link canal despite shortage in Sindh | DAWN.COM

Flooding inundates 50 villages in Dadu - geo.tv

So one piece of news says there is flood in Sindh and another says there isn't.
What is to be believed correct ?>