ISLAMABAD-The Indus River System Authority Advisory Committee meeting has remained inconclusive regarding the finalisation of water availability criteria for Kharif season 2023, starting tomorrow (Saturday), as Wapda has failed to provide the details of altered Tarbela Dam operational constraints parameters.
Till the advisory meeting, held on Thursday, WAPDA was stuck with Tarbela Dam operational constraints parameters’ agreed on 21st September 2021, for the construction works of raising the outlet level of T5, but at the eleventh hour it has informed that the plan has been altered and they have no new plan to share with the water regulator, official source told The Nation. 
The Advisory Committee meeting was convened to finalize Kharif 2023 (April-September) water availability criteria. The meeting was attended by the four provinces, WAPDA, PMD, Chief Engineering Adviser and all IRSA members. While considering the recommendations of the IRSA Technical Committee (ITC), it was brought to the notice of the house by WAPDA that operational constraints regarding Tarbela-5S project execution had changed from the earlier committed outflow parameters, said spokesman IRSA. It was informed that Tarbela Dam operational constraints, agreed by WAPDA on 21st September, 2021, for the construction works of raising the outlet level of T5 have now been altered. 
Everyone was shocked in the meeting to hear about the WAPDA revelation regarding change in the outflow parameters. WAPDA was silent in the meeting of the IRSA’s Technical Committee meeting regarding the altered outflow parameters. The technical committee recommendations regarding water available for Kharif season was based on Tarbela Dam operational constraints, agreed by WAPDA on 21st September, 2021, for the construction works of raising the outlet level of T5 have now been altered. In the Advisory committee meeting, WAPDA has informed that the previous outflow parameters have been changed and no new parameters was shared with the regulator, said the source. In this changed scenario, it was decided that IRSA Technical Committee (ITC) meeting will be held again in order to re-plan 2023’s Kharif water availability criteria. Therefore, the Advisory Committee meeting to finalize/ approve Kharif 2023 water availability criteria, would be held after ITC’s recommendations based on the changed parameters, said the spokesman. 
It is worth mentioning here that the technical committee of the Indus River System Authority had anticipated the water shortages of 20 to 35 percent for the Kharif season. The recommendations in this regard had been forwarded to IRSA’s advisory committee for the final approval. As per rule, IRSA’s technical committee determines the anticipated water availability and recommends draft anticipated water availability criteria with the total likely Rim-stations inflow to the advisory committee for the final approval. The advisory committee then finalizes the share of the provinces for the next season.