ISLAMABAD, March 18: Faced with a unique type of ‘water theft’, the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has convened a meeting of its technical committee on March 25 to finalise water availability estimates for the Kharif season on April 1. Irsa sources told dawn on Friday that the technical committee to be headed by Irsa’s acting secretary Khalid Idris Rana and attended by provincial irrigation representatives would finalise water probabilities based on historic flows and possible rainfall during the Rabi season. It would also seek proposals for water-sharing among the provinces and finalise a distribution plan.

The sources said that Irsa has noted serious discrepancies in water data between Besham and Tarbela dam this year which was never witnessed before. The Irsa has written a letter to Wapda’s chief engineer hydrology and water management over these discrepancies and has called for a detailed report on the issue.

The Irsa has also attached 10-year record of the past water flows between Besham and Tarbela and has noted that Tarbela has never received less water than recorded at Besham.

The Irsa has pointed out that water flows should increase from Besham to Tarbela dam because of many catchment areas having snow and minor nullahs downstream of Besham contributing to Indus River before reaching Tarbela.

“The water reaching Tarbela should be at least 5000 cusec higher than in Besham,” a source quoted the Irsa letter as having conveyed to Wapda.

On the contrary, this year an unprecedented decline in water flows has been reported by Wapda from Besham to Tarbela dam, which is beyond Irsa’s comprehension. The Irsa has asked the Wapda authorities to look into the situation and find out reasons behind such a water loss.

Irsa officials said that after its letter, the water flows at Tarbela dam have started to improve but were still lower than those recorded in Besham. They said the water flows were recorded at 22,000 cusec at Besham on Friday but inflows at Tarbela stood at 21,500 cusec, which should in normal circumstances be 5000-7000 higher than Besham.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, water flows were recorded at 21,000 cusec at Besham but inflows at Tarbela hovered around 17,000 cusec. The disappearance of about 4000 cusec these hilly areas was beyond the imagination of Irsa, these sources said.