Irsa Increases Water Flows to Sindh Amid Crop Damage and Protests
The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has increased water releases downstream of Chashma Barrage to address the water requirements of Sindh province, following extensive damage to summer crop sowing. Releases of 200,000 cusecs were initiated on June 13 and 14. However, this additional water is projected to take 10 to 12 days to reach Kotri Barrage, where water shortages are most severe. Persistent water scarcity had led to significant protests across Sindh, prompting intervention requests from the Sindh chief minister to the prime minister, and discussions by provincial lawmakers in parliament. Experts had previously questioned Irsa's management of water storage at Chashma Barrage while canals in Sindh faced acute shortages.
The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has boosted water releases downstream of Chashma Barrage in response to Sindh province's water needs. This decision comes after substantial damage was reported to the sowing of summer crops throughout Sindh.
Improved flows of 200,000 cusecs were released downstream of Chashma on June 13 and 14. These increased flows are estimated to take five days to reach Guddu Barrage and a total of 10 to 12 days to arrive at Kotri Barrage, an area experiencing the most critical water deficits. Sindh's requested supply, or indent, of 160,000 cusecs on June 11 is included within these increased flows, with the remainder allocated for Taunsa Barrage and Balochistan.
Water shortages have fueled protests across Sindh. The Sindh chief minister sought intervention from the prime minister to potentially defer the filling of dams to meet provincial water needs. The irrigation minister, Jam Khan Shoro, publicly questioned Irsa, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers raised the issue during a budget session in parliament. Pressure from farmers' organizations, political parties, parliamentarians, and the Sindh government reportedly contributed to Irsa's decision to increase releases.
Experts and irrigation officials observed that Irsa had been increasing the pond level at Chashma Barrage since early June, despite Sindh's urgent need for water for its perennial and non-perennial canals. For instance, on June 4, when Sindh requested 130,000 cusecs, Chashma released 138,000 cusecs downstream, including shares for Taunsa and Balochistan. Concurrently, the barrage’s pond level rose from 643.5 feet on June 4 to 647.6 feet by June 7, nearing its maximum of 649 feet.
Outflows began to increase after June 8, rising from 150,000 cusecs to 178,000 cusecs for Sindh on June 10, then to 180,000 cusecs on June 11 and 12, culminating in 200,000 cusecs on June 13. However, the impact will not be immediate due to the travel time for water between barrages. Currently, Kotri Barrage faces a 65% shortage against its required 32,500 cusecs, receiving only 11,275 cusecs. Sukkur Barrage reports a 35% shortfall, and Guddu Barrage a 46% deficit.
Farmers, such as Nadeem Shah from Sujawal, reported dying paddy nurseries, with concerns that hybrid varieties will lose vigor and yield if not transplanted within 40 days. Ishaq Mughairi, a farmer from upper Sindh, noted that nurseries had not been prepared due to lack of water in distributaries. The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Senior Vice Chairman, Nabi Bux Sathio, suggested that earlier intervention by parliamentarians or the Chief Minister might have prevented some of the damage.
Irsa has also written to Wapda, requesting immediate action to meet its indents through the operation of Tarbela’s Tunnel-4 low-level outlet. Irsa warned that delays in meeting these requirements could worsen provincial shortages during the critical kharif sowing season.
According to Dawn Pakistan, the benefits of the increased flows will not be immediate for the lower areas of Sindh due to the time required for water to travel between barrages.
