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Pakissan.com;
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No water shortage in Sindh for Kharif crops
KARACHI (April 14 2009): The recewnt heavy rains and the fast melting glaciers in the countrys northern areas will help Sindh province avoid water shortage during this Kharif season. According to official sources in Irrigation and Power Department, so far the province had reserved 32,262 cusecs of water which would lead to an increased crop production this season.
They said that Sindhs contribution in the production of cotton and rice was significant and the water availability would have fascinating impacts on production of the two cash crops during this sowing March-April season.
Cotton contributes over 60 per cent while rice accounts for 6.1 per cent to the total export earnings over the last five years. Putting the present water requirement for Sindh at 40,000 cusecs, they said that availability of 32,262 cusecs water was sufficient for the cultivation of rice which requires large amount of water when its sowing season starts in mid-May
Comparing the water availability with the previous years, they said the province was getting 20 to 22 thousand cusecs of irrigation water, however, currently Sindh has 32,262 cusecs water, which would further increase by next few days. Presently, they said some 36,529 cusecs water was available at Guddu Barrage, out of which 14,764 cusecs at Begari Sindh Feeder, 13,275 cusecs at Desert Pat Feeder and 8,490 at Ghotki Feeder.
They said 47,530 cusecs water was available at Sukkur Barrage, of which some 5152 cusecs at North Western Canal, 10658 cusecs at Rice Canal, 3,150 at Dadu Canal, 13649 cusecs at Nara Canal, 2,094 cusecs at Khairpur Feeder East, 10887 cusecs at Rohri Canal and 1,940 cusecs at Khairpur Feeder West.
At Kotri Barrage, they said 41,140 cusecs water was available at Kotri Barrage, of which 9,057 cusecs at Kalri Baghar, 3,572 cusecs at Akram Canal, 13636 cusecs at Pinyari, 14,859 at Phuleli and 16 cusecs at Fasadi Canal.
They said the Sindh government had long been demanding the implementation of Para-2 of the Water Accord 1991 and had worked out a plan in this regard. If the Para-2 of the Accord is applid then the Sindh would get 33 MAF irrigation water and Punjab 37 MAF. Now, the Punjab has been allocated water share of 35.125 MAF for Kharif season, Sindh 31.908 MAF, NWFP 0.823 and Balochistan 2.476 MAF.
In additioan to that, 14 MAF has been allocated for releasing below Kotri Barrage to stop intrusion of seawater and 9.30 MAF water would be kept as carryover stock for Rabi season, they added. Furthermore, they said the Guddu Barrage was flowing at 249.00 cusecs upstream and 244.70 cusecs downstream, Sukkur Barrage 197.80 cusecs upstream and 183.80 cusecs downstream and Kotri Barrage 65.00 cusecs upstream and 40.20 cusecs downstream.
Courtesy Business Recorder |
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