SUKKUR, Dec 14: The River Indus is facing 48 per cent shortage of water and the shortage can increase to 65 per cent by Jan 25 which will severly affect Rabi crops.

This was stated by the chief engineer, irrigation, Sukkur, Nawaz Memon, at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Mr Memon announced a water management programme to cope with the situation. He said the water rotation programme had been started afresh so that wheat crops could be supplied with water.

He said in view of the situation, he had taken agriculture authorities into confidence and advised wheat growers to sow their crops early and use water in September-November as there would be a shortage of water in December.

However, he said his message was not properly conveyed to growers who were now worried about the situation. He further said due to low rains, the pond level of the Tarbela Dam could not be achieved which had resulted in water shortage in the country.

He said all canals of the Sukkur Barrage, except for the Rice Canal, would get 17,500 cusecs of water from Dec 19 to Dec 30 which would be sufficient for wheat crops in the area. He said in December, less water would be required for crops because of dew.

SUKKUR BARRAGE: Sindh Corps Commander Lt-Gen Athar Ali Khan and Pano Aqil cantonment General Officer Commanding Maj-Gen Ahmad Nawaz Saleem Mela on Tuesday visited the Sukkur Barrage and reviewed the progress of repair work of the barrage.

They expressed their satisfaction over the progress and the quality of work carried out so far. Earlier, Indus River System Authority chairman Noor Mohammad Baloch and Brig Jawed Bajwah briefed the army officers about the work.

They said the cofferdam was near completion and the filling of ditches and repair of the Dadu Canal would be completed by April 2005. Talking to journalists, the chief engineer, irrigation, Nawaz Memon, said besides the Army Engineering Corps and the Frontier Works Organization, senior irrigation officials were also supervising the repair work.