HYDERABAD: Whilst water flows in Indus River have improved a little, Wapda has backed out from its word of operating lower level outlets (LLOs) designed for Tunnel-four (T4) at Tarbela Dam to ensure supplies to provinces.

Wapda is preferring power generation, instead of catering to the irrigation water requirement of provinces.

This has led to acrimony between Wapda and the water regulator, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), which has expressed its displeasure over the latter`s failure to honour the commitment it had given while getting permission for work on T-5.

Wapda is building a hydel powerhouse at T-5 after converting it into a power generation unit to scale up electricity generation by 1,530MW. LLOs at the T4 were to be `wet tested` this year.

They had not passed the necessary test ever since this 1,410MW powerhouse was commissioned in 2018.

Information obtained by Dawn on Thursday revealed that Irsa may convene an advisory committee meeting to discuss concerns of Sindh and Balochistan.

`These issues were raised at a meeting held at Sukkur Barrage on July 3 where Sindh`s member Irsa Zahid Junejo, Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Shah, Balochistan`s member Irsa Hameed Baloch as well as secretary irrigation were present,` said an official.

The storage in Tarbela Dam stood at 1,512 level on July 4 with an inflow of 188,600 cusecs and outflow of 189,300cusecs. Sindh depends solely on supplies from Tarbela and to feed Balochistan. One official dealing with Irsa said had LLOs been operated as decided as per Wapda`s undertaking last year, 30,000 flows could be achieved post-Tarbela.

Auxiliary spillways Last year, Wapda while seeking permission for the T5 work had told Irsa that auxiliary spillways would become operational if dam`s level stood at 1,506 level and main/service spillways would be operated at 1,511 level.

Wapda didn`t operate auxiliary spillways. `Irsa asked Wapda to test LLOs with commencement of Kharif season but it kept delaying it, leading to 30,000 cusecs deficiency Tarbela downstream.

Wapda operated main spillways but then argued that splashes were hitting T5, located between auxiliary and service spillways thus it was closed,` said an official. He added service spillways were opened at July 2 midnight after Irsa`s protest.

Irsa had to write to Wapda`s GM Tarbela on July 2, stating that `despite assurance Wapda didn`t operate LLO.

To cope with situation Irsa took steps and reduced Tarbela outflow so that reservoir level can be raised above spillway crest level i.e. 1,511.00 to avoid a dip in provinces especially in Sindh and Balochistan`.

Since Wapda achieved dam`s level of 1511.00, it said, therefore spillway should be operated to meet Irsa`s indent of 190,000 cusecs without delay.

`Any reduction in Tarbela outflows may generate a dip in the system especially to Sindh which is fully dependenton Indus [river],` stated the letter.

Sindh deficient in supplies Irsa assessed 190,000 flows would be supplemented by Kabul`s 60,000-70,000 cusecs to take flows to 250,000 cusecs to meet Sindh`s requirement of 200,000 cusees and 12,000 cusees of Balochistan.

It was not materialising now.

Currently, Sindh`s indent stood at 200,000 cusecs, Punjab`s 132,000 cusecs but each province was getting 20,000 cusecs less water, according to official source.

Irsa wrote on July 3, directing GM/ PD Tarbela dam that `regulation at Tarbela with immediate effect till further order `shall` be as follows`. It said dam`s level would remain 1512.00.

Inflow and outflow would remain same i.e., run of river flows.

Issues resolved? `We had some issues with Wapda but these have been resolved,` said Irsa`s spokesman Khalid Idrees Rana in response to Dawn`s query.

Rana`s reply, however, clearly implied Wapda`s management of flows at Tarbela didn`t go down well with Irsa. Junejo had also mentioned this mismanagement at Sukkur Barrage on July 3, prompting Syed Khursheed Shah to talk to Wapda chairman.

Mohammad Abid Rana, Wapda`s spokesman, insisted that Wapda was not backing out of its commitments on T5 and Irsa`s indent for supplies was being met. `If there is any issue regarding Irsa`s indent, the same is discussed and resolved mutually,` he said.

`Mismanagement by Wapda` Practically, T1, T2, T3, T4 were pro-viding 160,000 cusecs from Tarbela now but an official feared if flows drop below crest level of 1512.00 a dip would be likely.

`It is mismanagement by Wapda. It is least bothered how it will impact Sindh and Balochistan. Flows from dam are meant for irrigation, not power generation,` commented official.

Officials dealing with water claimed flows downstream Chashma Barrage had started recording a drop and the barrage`s pond level depleted from 647.9 on July 1 to 643.1 on July 4.

It has slightly improved. Chashma downstream water reaches Taunsa where a link/flood canal TaunsaPanjnad (TP) -was operated by Punjab, with a 4840 cusecs flow on July 4.

The TP link canal had withdrawn as high as 12,000 cusecs from June 26 to June 30 before dropping to 7,721 cusecs on July 1 to great chagrin of Sindh.

Dip fears haunting Sindh Fluctuations in inflows of Indus at Tarbela are leading to fears it would cause a dip. The dam`s inflows were 290,600 cusecs on July 28; 188,600 cusecs on July 4 and 191,500 cusecs on July 5.

That`s why, Irsa insisted, run of river flows should be ensured at Tarbela to meet irrigation needs of two provinces while maintaining crest level at 1512 at Tarbela. Sindh presently is witnessing peak summer season.

Water shortage lately improved from 37pc on June 26 in Sindh to 18pc on July 3. But fears of dip in river are again haunting officials with fluctuation in Indus flows.