Home Indus River Water Issue Sindh demands immediate closure of Punjab’s link canals

Sindh demands immediate closure of Punjab’s link canals

0
Sindh demands immediate closure of Punjab’s link canals
File Photo

Release of water to Punjab canals has affected Indus water supplies to Sindh resulting in huge losses to its agriculture sector

Karachi: Sindh Irrigation Department has sent a letter to the Chairman, Indus River System Authority (IRSA) protesting on release of Indus water to Punjab through Chashma-Jehlum (CJ) Link Canal and Trimmu-Punjnad (TP) Link Canal depriving Sindh of its due share of water.

Through this letter, written on the directions of the Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, the Irrigation department demanded immediate closure of these canals so that water shortage should be avoided in Sindh province.

According to the letter, due to climatic conditions, the inflows in River Indus at Tarbela and River Kabul at Naushera were decreasing continuously. The water inflows at Tarbela have also reduced from 179,300 cusecs to 98,400 cusecs on 7th of September 2021. It is said that the discharge of Kabul River has decreased from 22,800 cusecs to 13,700 cusecs and under the circumstances inflows in Indus System have reached alarming level.

The IRSA chairman was apprised in the letter that the discharge of water in Chasma Jhelum Link canal has increased to 15,000 cusecs from 2,292 cusecs while the flows in Trimmu-Panjand Link Canal have also increased from 2,894 cusecs to 5,423 cusecs on 6th of September 2021.

The letter further stated that it is said that the burden of enhanced supplies in both link canals has resulted fast depletion of Tarbela Reservoir in the order of about 2.62 feet a day, and similarly in Mangla Reservoir with a rate of 0.75 feet per day.

Sindh Irrigation Department demanded from IRSA authorities in the letter that transferring of water from Indus to Jhelum-Chenab System through CJ and TP link canals should be stopped immediately otherwise water would not be available in Tarbela Reservoir for maturing standing Kharif Crop and Sowing of Rabi Crop and also to ensure the availability of drinking water for people of Karachi and South Eastern Districts for Sindh Province. (PR)

______________________