#Kharif season: #IRSA projects massive #WaterShortage
#ISLAMABAD: #IRSA Advisory Committee on Thursday projected up to 27 percent shortage of water during Kharif season (April- September) 2023 as total availability will be 70 MAF of water during six months of season.
These projected figures were finalised at a meeting of IRSA Advisory Committee which convened to develop consensus on the data shared by the concerned entities.
The meeting was attended by the four provinces, Wapda and IRSA Members. The Advisory Committee has decided to ensure 59.07 MAF for Sindh and Punjab of which 13.80 MAF will be for early Kharif while 45.27 MAF for late Kharif. Allocation for KP and Balochistan will be 3.64 MAF (0.78 MAF for early Kharif and 2.89 MAF for late Kharif. The committee was informed that 27 shortages will be for early Kharif whereas 10 percent in late Kharif.
As per Wapda’s revised Tarbela-5 operational constraints, the following criteria for Kharif season 2023 approved by the IRSA Advisory Committee.
According to figures presented before the Advisory Committee, total inflow in rim stations will be 95.34 MAF of which 23.41 MAF during early Kharif whereas 71.91 MAF in late Kharif. Total storage will be – 11.37 MAF of which – 2.61 MAF will be during early Kharif whereas -8.77 MAF will be in late Kharif. The meeting was also informed that system losses would be – 13.96 MAF i.e. – 6.23 MAF during early Kharif and -7.73 MAF in late Kharif.
Total water availability will be 70 MAF, of which 14.58 MAF during early Kharif and 55.42 MAF in late Kharif. Below Kotri barrage, no water will be available during early Kharif, however, 7.26 MAF water is expected in late Kharif. Water availability at canals heads would be 62.74 MAF, i.e. 14.58 MAF in early Kharif and 48.16 MAF in late Kharif. Informed sources told Business Recorder that there was heated debate during the Advisory Committee meeting on allocation of conveyance losses.
According to an official statement, to resolve the issue of losses, a committee, under the convenorship of Member IRSA (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), was decided to be constituted to determine actual system conveyance losses. “Whatever the recommendations on actual system losses determination to be devised by the Committee, based on actual discharge measurements, would be applicable to the projected system losses,” the statement added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
