As the water is fast depleting in the two main dams and drought-like conditions continue to prevail in the country, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) is cutting water outflow from the Tarbela Dam on River Indus to preserve maximum quantities of water for irrigating the Rabi crops 2012-13.

Wapda engineers told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the water managers have cut down water releases downstream the Tarbela Dam from 69,000 cusecs to 40,000 cusecs for irrigation and hydel power generation during the past couple of days. However they are continuing outflow of 30,000 cusecs water from the Mangla Dam on River Jhelum.

They further said that only 43,000 cusecs water is running in the four live rivers at their rim stations, Indus 20,400 cusecs, Kabul 8,700 cusecs, river Jhelum 9,000 cusecs, Chenab 5,500 cusecs. The water regulating body is releasing 84,000 cusecs water in the irrigation system across the country.

They said that only 4.5 MAF water has been left in the dams , Tarbela 2.21 MAF and Mangla 2.292 MAF and Chashma 0.136 MAF for irrigation purposes till 31st March 2013.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012