Sindh: Water shortage bound to cause extensive damage to crops

SUKKUR: Sindh is facing an acute shortage of river water, which has dropped by 51 percent than normal at Sukkur Barrage, citing water record ARY News reported on Sunday.

The water shortage is bound to cause extensive damage to crops across the province due to record shortage of water, water officials apprehend.

The inflow and outflow of water at Tarbela Dam has been 60,800 cusecs and 60,000 cusecs respectively. The inflow and outflow of water at Kalabagh has been recorded 77,741 and 71,241 cusecs respectively.

Water inflow and outflow at Chashma Link Canal has been 96,423 and 80,000 cusecs respectively, while at Taunsa water inflow and outflow recorded 61,645 cusecs and 57,515 cusecs, according to the water officials.

Water inflow and outflow at Guddu Barrage recorded 33,462 cusecs, while at Sukkur Barrage water inflow and outflow has been 27,180 and 8,350 cusecs respectively. The water inflow at Kotri Barrage has been 4,900 cusecs, and only 200 cusecs going downstream to the Indus delta, according to the water officials.

Sindh’s Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali, in a telephonic conversation yesterday discussed acute water shortage in the province with Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah.

Sindh is facing shortage of irrigation water as recently local people blocked the National Highway and staged protest sit-in over the water scarcity issue in Thatta.

“The canals are dry and water is unavailable for irrigation of crops as well as for drinking,” protesters complained.

Sindh’s information minister Sharjeel Memon had earlier appealed the federal government to provide Sindh’s share of irrigation water. He called the federal authorities to take notice of the shortage of water in Sindh.

Sharjeel Memon urged the government to ensure enforcement of the river water apportionment accord 1991.