There has been a sudden increase in the water flow in the four live rivers from 96,000 cusecs to 1,72,000 cusecs after the current spell of rain in the upper regions of the country. According to 25th March WAPDA report about the position of river inflows/outflows and reservoirs level, the water flow in the river Kabul has increased from 27,000 cusecs to 73,000 cusecs, in the river Indus from 25,000 cusecs to 37,000 cusecs, in the river Jhelum from 28,000 to 38,000 cusecs and in the river Chenab from 16,000 to 25,000 cusecs.
The IRSA is releasing 1,53,000 cusecs water in the irrigation canal network for hydel power and irrigation purposes. Punjab Irrigation officials said that there is still 1.242 MAF water left in the reservoirs (Tarbela 0.441 MAF in Tarbela, 0.649 MAF in Mangla and 0.152 MAF in Chashma Barrage) which would be used for sowing the Kharif crops next month.
Meanwhile Director General Punjab Agriculture Extension Services Dr Anjum |Ali has said that more rains in the plains of Punjab would damage the Rabi crops including wheat, grams, mustard, oil seeds etc as the crops are at a critical stage of their maturity.
He said that the crops needed hot weather to ripen, for harvesting in the middle of next month, otherwise the yearly cropping circle would be disturbed. He did not agree with the report of the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SPARCO) that Pakistan would be harvesting a record wheat production of 26 million tons this season. Much depends on the weather during the next two months till the crops are harvested, thrashed and properly stored, he added.
In its daily weather forecast for today (Tuesday) Met office said that mainly dry weather is expected over the rest of the country. However isolated thunderstorms/rain is likely to occur over north-east Balochistan. Also, thunderstorm/rain may occur at one or two places of Malakand, Hazara divisions, Gilgit -Baltistan and Kashmir.
