KARACHI, Aug 22: Taking note of water shortages plaguing the agriculture sector which could resurface in the country in the near future and an imminent drinking water crisis that could hit certain areas, particularly Islamabad, as predicted by a federal government climate adviser, President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the ministries concerned to take appropriate measures to tackle the issue and keep him informed, Dawn has learnt.

According to sources, the president’s secretary, Asif Hayat, has sent a communication to the ministries — the finance, water and power, climate change, food security, inter-provincial coordination, etc — on the subject of abnormal climate patterns and global food crisis along with a copy of a letter received by the presidency from federal climate adviser Dr Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry.

In the communication Mr Hayat says: “I am desired to request that action being taken in regards to the issues raised by the adviser may be communicated to us for the kind information of the president.”

Meanwhile, responding to Dawn queries on Thursday, Met and Climate Affairs adviser and vice president of the World Meteorological Organisation Asia-Pacific Dr Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry said that the climate change ministry had formed a technical committee to meet periodically, monitor the situation and suggest appropriate measures.

Earlier, highlighting the issue of water crisis, Dr Chaudhry had said that there was little likelihood that the country’s reservoirs would be filled to capacity and that could cause extreme irrigation water shortages, particularly for winter crops and also for drinking purposes in some areas, particularly in the federal capital.

Giving the latest reservoir status as of Aug 15, he said that while the maximum live storage capacity of the Tarbela dam was 6.78 million acre feet (MAF), available water at present was just 3.637 MAF, which was just 54 per cent of the capacity and represented “critical” status.

In the case of the Mangla dam, its maximum live capacity was 7.392 MAF while at present available water there was just 2.653 MAF which was just 36 per cent of the capacity and represented its “highly critical” status, he said.

He said that only 24 feet of water was available in the Simly dam while 58 feet were still to be filled in the reservoir which was an “extremely critical” status.

Similarly only 10 feet water was available in the Khanpur dam while its 62 feet still remained to be filled which showed “extremely critical” status, he said. The situation at the Rawal dam showed that 28 feet of water was available while 16 feet remained to be filled in the reservoir, which put its status at “serious”, he added.

The climate scientist said that the above data indicated that most of the country’s reservoirs were between 50 and 70 per cent empty which was indicating a dangerous situation.

He said that though some rains were expected in the remaining monsoon season, hardly any dramatic improvement was expected in the water availability in these reservoirs.

The present water levels in the above-mentioned reservoirs were lowest in the last many years, an alarming situation resulting from abnormally low temperatures in April, May and part of June 2012 as well as low monsoon rainfall during the current rainy season.

He said that the current reservoir situation, coupled with climate outlook and depleting underground water levels, could not only cause extreme irrigation water shortages, particularly for the winter crops, but could also lead, in some areas of the country, to drinking water shortages.

He said that residents of Islamabad might experience extreme water crisis in the coming months, further shifting their dependence on already-depleting underground water.

He said that this critical situation demanded an extraordinary response at all levels of water management.

He urged the water management agencies to further improve their plans and strategies to deal with the emerging water crisis, added Dr Chaudhry.

Meanwhile, the participants in a high-level meeting organised by the climate change ministry on Friday on the ensuing water crisis had decided to develop some water conservation-related public service advertisements that would be placed in the media to create awareness among the masses of the expected water shortages in the near future.

The participants in the meeting chaired by climate change secretary Mahmood Alam and attended by climate adviser Dr Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry, National Disaster Management Authority chief Javed Khan and the director general of environment and other relevant officials also decided to further strengthen the coordination among various organisations and departments concerned on the issue so that prompt and coordinated actions could be taken.

It was also decided in the meeting that a final decision to export wheat would taken after reviewing the water availability situation.