Indus River System Authority (IRSA) forecasts Punjab and Sindh to face a water shortfall of 31percent during the early Kharif season this year hampering Agricultural growth in the country. The Authority also paints a bleak picture of late Kharif season when the leading agricultural provinces are expected to face a shortage of 10 percent as well.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) & Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) have both voiced the concerns raised by IRSA as conservation of water through snow catchment system during the winter season fell by at least 50 percent.
|
Anticipated Criteria Kharif 2018 (Apr – Sep) MAF |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Early Kharif (Likely) |
Late Kharif (Likely) |
Total Kharif (Likely) |
|
Tim Station inflows |
22.58 |
72.54 |
95.12 |
|
Storage |
-2.48 |
-7.28 |
-9.76 |
|
System Losses |
-6.68 |
-10.73 |
-17.36 |
|
Total Availability (1+2+3) |
13.48 |
54.52 |
68.00 |
|
Kotri Below |
0.00 |
6.35 |
6.35 |
|
Canal Availability (4-5) |
13.48 |
48.18 |
61.65 |
|
Less KPK + Baluchistan |
0.75 |
2.82 |
3.58 |
|
Balance for Punjab & Sindh (6-7) |
12.72 |
45.35 |
58.08 |
|
Shortage |
-32 |
-10 |
|
IRSA Advisory once again recommended construction of at least two dams simultaneously at the earliest in order to conserve water resources of the country.
WAPDA informed that sedimentation at Tarbela and Mangla is spreading rapidly. The dams because they were constructed decades ago have collected a large amount of sediments in the storage capacity of the reservoir.
WAPDA has mentioned that it is currently working to present a summary to IRSA to further raise the minimum operating level of Mangla Dam from 1,050 feet to 1,060 feet in the next fortnight.
The water shortage will hamper the agricultural production in the country and in turn the overall economy as almost one third of Pakistan’s GDP output is contributed by the Agricultural sector.
