Drying up

-- Rivers in Pakistan are gradually becoming water-deficient. A downward trend has been noticed recently in the combined inflow from rivers, with the total supply dropping down to 88,000 cusecs -- around 25 per cent of the country's requirement.

The shortfall has led to a decline in the water level of Tarbela and Mangla dams as an additional amount of 50,300 cusecs was released to meet irrigation needs downstream. With the inflow going down to 46,400 cusecs, the water level at Tarbela dam plunged to 461.92 metres. At Mangla dam, too, the quantity of water plummeted alarmingly to 364.23 metres because supply from Jhelum river decreased to 15,300 cusecs against a total release of 32,000 cusecs. The inflow from Chenab and Kabul rivers decreased to 16,600 cusecs and 9,700 cusecs, respectively. A drop in supply from rivers such as Jinnah, Chashma, Taunsa, Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri was also recorded.