Sharing the dips

WITH the country expecting big water shortages in Kharif season, it was agreed at a meeting chaired by President Zardari that the shortfall would be shared jointly by Punjab and Sindh in accordance with the landmark 1991 Water Apportionment Accord (WAA). It was decided to stop further storage of water in Tarbela and reduce the river flow at Taunsa and Panjnad barrages, and if needed, to close the TP Link Canal. This would reportedly enhance the discharges to Sindh from the present 116,000 cusecs to 148,000 daily against the province's indent of 170,000 cusecs daily, with Punjab getting 101,000 cusecs a day against its 159,000 cusecs demand. Besides the relevant government leaders from Sindh, those who attended the meeting included all five IRSA members, the WAPDA Chairman and the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission. Somehow the Punjab government representative was not invited to the meeting though, reportedly, telephonic consent was obtained.
The decision evoked grave concern across the political divide in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday, and some members wanted to move a resolution against it. The Punjab government decided to convene an urgent high-level meeting to examine the various aspects of the implications the decision carried and place its findings before the House today. It is important to note that enhancing the discharge to Sindh would have serious implications for Punjab. Nevertheless, it was decided to shelve the move for resolution till the government's views had been presented.