ISLAMABAD - Meeting of Indus River System Authority (IRSA)’s advisory committee is likely to be held this week virtually to determine water availability plan for the upcoming Kharif season starting from April 1.
The stakeholders are, however, in the dark regarding the prospective schedule of the meeting of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA)’s advisory committee, official source told The Nation. It is very unusual that only four days are remaining in Rabi season and the stakeholders are clueless regarding the dates of the Advisory committee meeting, said the official.
“We have been told that the meeting will be held this week,” one of the stakeholders, who requested not to be named, said. Owing to the austerity drive and the holy month of Ramazan the meeting of the advisory committee is likely to be held virtually, the official said. The Water Accord 1991 empowered IRSA to determine water availability in the country and provincial share twice a year, once for Kharif season and the other for Rabi season. Rabi season starts from October 1 and ends on March 31, while Kharif starts from April 1 and continue till September 30.
Since Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) were exempted from cuts in the share, the shortage of water would be distributed between Sindh and the Punjab. IRSA’s technical committee will finalise the anticipated water availability for the Kharif season 2022-23 (starting from April 1), and will recommend draft anticipated water availability criteria with the total likely Rim-stations inflow to the advisory committee for the final approval. The advisory committee will finalise the share of the provinces for the Kharif season. It is worth mentioning here that for the ongoing Rabi season IRSA had approved an anticipated water shortage of 18 percent for the provinces.
Meanwhile, water data released here said that the water inflows in River Indus at Tarbela were 20100 cusecs and outflows 13000 cusecs. The inflows and outflow in River Kabul at Nowshera were 16500 cusecs; Jhelum at Mangla inflows were 18500 cusecs cusecs and outflows were 17000 cusecs, inflows in Chenab at Marala 13600 cusecs while outflows 6,100 cusecs. Tarbela against the minimum operating level 1,398 feet is presently at 1422.95 feet.
The maximum conservation level of Tarbela is 1,550 feet, live storage as of Monday was 0.397 million acre feet (MAF). Mangla reservoir against the minimum operating level of 1,050 feet is presently at 1095.10 feet. The maximum conservation level of Mangla is 1242 feet, live storage as of Monday was 0.329 MAF. Against the minimum operating level 638.15 feet, Chashma is presently at 645.50 feet. Maximum conservation level of Chasma is 649 feet and its live storage was 0.139 MAF.
