Punjab demands IRSA to open Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal

LAHORE: Punjab Irrigation Department has contacted the IRSA again and demanded opening of the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, sources said.

Punjab irrigation department has asked the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) to implement its technical and advisory committees’ decisions. “The pressure over Mangla Dam will increase if the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal not opened,” irrigation department said.

Sources said that after telecast of a report at ARY News about the Punjab government’s letter written 10 days ago to IRSA, the river authority had partially opened the Taunsa-Punjnad link canal, but Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal was not opened.

“The flow of Taunsa-Punjnad link canal was also restricted to 3800 cusecs instead of 12,000 cusecs,” sources said.

“The Sindh government has objected over opening of these two link canals,” sources said. Sindh’s irrigation officials have said that these link canals could only be opened during flood in the river, sources added.

The Indus River System Authority has recently enhanced the provinces’ water quota by 16 per cent for irrigation after inflow of water from rain and rivers in reservoirs.

A spokesperson of the IRSA said that the water shortage of provinces has been decreased from 43 per cent to 27 per cent.

“Punjab being provided 64,800 cusecs water share, while Sindh being given 45,000 cusecs of water for irrigation,” the river authority official said.

“The IRSA releasing 500 cusecs water to Baluchistan, while 1900 cusecs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” spokesman added.

Amid a drought situation that has caused decrease in river water for irrigation, a row over construction of new canals on the Indus has further deepened the rift between Sindh’s PPP led government and the PML-N led federal and Punjab governments.