Irsa advisory body unable to finalise water availability criteria for Kharif.

ISLAMABAD -- The Indus River System Authority Advisory Committee meeting has remained inconclusive regarding the finalisation of water availability criteria for Kharif season 2023, starting tomorrow (Saturday), as Wapda has failed to provide the details of altered Tarbela Dam operational constraints parameters.

Till the advisory meeting, held on Thursday, WAPDA was stuck with Tarbela Dam operational constraints parameters' agreed on 21st September 2021, for the construction works of raising the outlet level of T5, but at the eleventh hour it has informed that the plan has been altered and they have no new plan to share with the water regulator, official source told The Nation.

The Advisory Committee meeting was convened to finalize Kharif 2023 (April: September) water availability criteria. The meeting was attended by the four provinces, WAPDA, PMD, Chief Engineering Adviser and all IRSA members. While considering the recommendations of the IRSA Technical Committee (ITC), it was brought to the notice of the house by WAPDA that operational constraints regarding Tarbela: 5S project execution had changed from the earlier committed outflow parameters, said spokesman IRSA. It was informed that Tarbela Dam operational constraints, agreed by WAPDA on 21st September, 2021, for the construction works of raising the outlet level of T5 have now been altered.

Everyone was shocked in the meeting to hear about the WAPDA revelation regarding change in the outflow parameters. WAPDA was silent in the meeting of the IRSA's Technical Committee meeting regarding the altered outflow parameters. The technical committee...