Lahore: Punjab has asked the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) to look into the extraordinary water loss being reported by Sindh province as a result of under-reporting of inflows by a senior official.
Against the 10 per cent rabi water transport loss as defined by IRSA for the Indus region between Sindh and Punjab barrage, the Sindh Irrigation Department has claimed 60 per cent loss if the Guddu barrage results from the outflow from the Tunsa and Panjnad barrages. . Sindh has practiced under-reporting water flow by 60 per cent against the 10 per cent transport losses prescribed by IRSA in the Indus region for the rabi season between Tounsa plus Panjnad and Guddu. Similarly, Sindh Irrigation Department is misreporting the Indus water flow between Sukkur and Kotri barrage up to 40 percent.
According to a letter written by the Director Water Regulation of Punjab Irrigation Department to the Chief Engineer, IRSA dated January 24, 2022, titled “Extraordinary Losses in Sindh Access”, it is alleged that contrary to the 10 per cent loss estimated by IRSA, the major Water regulatory body, Taunsa + Punjnad to Guddu and Sukkur to Kotri is witnessing exceptional damage.
Considering these extraordinarily high reported losses, it said, IRSA should immediately take steps to assess the water loss in order to protect the water rights of other provinces. Punjab demanded immediate deployment of IRSA teams at these sites for actual discharge observation/measurement. Further, Punjab asked for the loss in the Indus region to be treated as zero, unless the actual discharge measurement is being done. Further, Punjab insisted that the additional losses in addition to the permissible losses should be reported in the respective provincial water accounts.
Punjab was of the view that IRSA should expedite discharge observation/measurement with the International Institute of Water Management (IWMI) so that the rights of other provinces can be protected by controlling the loss of water unaccounted for. Referring to the water loss being claimed by the Sindh Irrigation Department, an expert observed, vehicle losses used to be less during the Rabi or winter season due to less seepage and evaporation. He said that apart from the winter season, two consecutive rains have mostly saturated the soil, leaving little room for transport damage.
Water demand in the Indus Basin system has been low for the past few weeks, forcing Punjab to extend the annual canal closure period by two weeks. In Sindh also canals are closed and hence the demand for irrigation is at the lowest level. In such a situation, it is difficult to digest 60 percent system water loss from January 03 to January 20, 2022.
He continued to say that the outflow of water from Taunsa and Panjnad in Punjab was measured to be more than one lakh cusecs for three consecutive days (14-16 January) and around 50,000 cusecs during 11-20 January. However, Sindh reported it down to a maximum of 41,400, and that too for only one day at the Guddu Barrage on the Indus River. As far as the river flow and the share of the provinces are concerned, the water flow data and its solution tell a completely different story, he said and the IRSA should investigate the issue so that there is no conflict between union units. To ensure equitable distribution of water.