IRSA forecast 18 pc water shortage in Rabi cropping season

ISLAMABAD: The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has forecast 18 per cent of water shortage during the forthcoming Rabi cropping season, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The session of the advisory committee of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was held today. During the session, the officials predicted 18 per cent of water shortage to be faced by the country during the Rabi cropping season.

According to the declaration, 30.2 million acre-feet of water will be available for crops. 16.23 million acre-feet of water will be available for Punjab crops, 12.24 million acre-feet for Sindh, 0.7 million acre-feet of water for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and one million acre-feet of water for Balochistan crops.

Due to flood devastation in Balochistan, the advisory board approved 0.149 million acre-feet of water for the crops in the province.

During the session, the Met officials said that the country will receive lesser rains in the next three months. Moreover, the authority approved the closure of Tarbela Dam’s Tunnel 5 for the next 33 months from November 5, 2022, to May 2025.

The IRSA officers expressed sorrow over the flood disasters across the country.