ISLAMABAD: According to the Punjab administration, increasing Indus stem water losses and downstream Kotri water releases have made the water shortage worse.
According to The News, the situation was made worse by unexpectedly high losses in the Indus stem and increased downstream flows at Kotri, as stated in a letter sent by the Punjab Irrigation Department to the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on March 21.
The Irrigation Department claims that “this has resulted in shortages that have exceeded the water deficit anticipated by the water regulator.”
The Punjab government has requested Irsa to open the Taunsa-Punjnad (TP) Link at Indus in order to give water to the Thal and Panjnad canals.
