Punjab Irrigation department has said that the water regulatory body Irsa is meeting all the water indents of the provinces for sowing and growing the strategic Kharif crops, including cotton, sugarcane, paddy, maize, vegetables, fodder etc.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Tuesday Punjab canal regulator engineer M H Siddiqui said that Irsa is releasing 1,11,000 cusecs water in the irrigation network in Punjab and there was no shortage of water in the province, The irrigation canals of the province can handle only 1,20,000 cusecs water during the summer season whereas 1,11,000 cusecs water is already flowing into these canals.
He refuted complaints of water shortages in south Punjab and said that 57,000 cusecs water is being supplied in the canals of south Punjab against demand of 49,000 cusecs. Engineer Siddiqui said water availability in Punjab has further improved as water increased from 54,000 cusecs to 70,000 cusecs on Tuesday. Irsa is also releasing about 40,000 cusecs from the Indus Zone, including 18,000 cusecs in the Chashma-Jhelum link canal to supplement water supply in river Chenab command aread where cotton crop is at a critical stage.
According to 24th July rivers flows and reservoirs level report of Wapda 3,26,000 cusecs water is flowing in the four live rivers at their rim stations, Indus at Tarbela 1,72.700 cusecs, Kabul at Nowshera 47,900 cusecs, Jhelum at Mangla 32,800 cusecs and river Chenab at Marala (Sialkot) 70,200 cusecs.
IRSA is releasing 3,06,000 cusecs water downstream the dams for irrigation and hydel power generation purposes, The water discharge in river Indus at Chashma is 2,41,800 cusecs, Taunsa 1,97,000 cusecs, Guddu 1,60,900 cusecs, Sukkur 1,08,300 cusecs and Kotri barrage 43,843 cusecs. Sindh Irrigation department is releasing 6,203 cusecs water downstream the Kotri barrage into the Indus delta, the report added.
Synoptic situation: Seasonal low lies over Northwest Balochistan and adjoining areas with its trough extending Southeast wards. Monsoon currents are penetrating into upper parts of the country.
Forecast for today: Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country, however rain/thundershower is expected at isolated places of Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Hazara, Malakand divisions , Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Weather during next 48 hours
Mainly hot and humid weather is expected in most parts of the country, however rain/thundershower is expected at isolated places of Rawalpind ,Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Hazara, Malakand divisions , Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan Weather on Tuesday Weather remained hot and humid in most parts of the country on Tuesday. however isolated thundershower/rain occurred in Malakand,Hazara, Lahore divisions and Kashmir & Gilgit-Baltistan
Rainfall (mm) recorded at 1700 PST during last 24 hours: Lahore A/P = 20, Balakot = 10, Kohat = 08, Kalam= 02, Astore = 01, Hunza, Gilgit & Chilas = trace (each).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2012
