Daily Times

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa issued flood alerts after India released water into River Sutlej and Alchi Dam.

PDMA Punjab on Monday issued a flood alert due to rising water levels in River Sutlej. Additionally, the PDMA KP director general on Sunday said that India had opened the outlets of Alchi Dam “without preschedule”, which, he said, could lead to flooding in Indus River.

According to the PDMA Punjab, flood water between the range of 125,000 and 175,000 cusecs is expected to reach Ganda Singh Wala at 11am.

A dispatch has been issued to the relevant agencies asking them to ensure that all protective measures are taken.

The authority said that the flood alert had been issued in order to avoid the loss of lives and properties.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has also issued a flood/weather advisory. According to the department, very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall had been observed over the upper and lower catchments of Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers during the last 72 hours. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar summoned an emergency meeting to discuss the flood alert for Sutlej River.

Meanwhile, the PDMA KP director general on Sunday wrote a letter to various provincial deputy commissioners with an alert regarding India opening the water outlet of Alchi Dam.

As per the dispatch, the water would take 12 hours to reach Tarbela Dam and around 15-18 hours to reach Dera Ismail Khan.

“The damming authorities at Tarbela have been instructed by the NDMA to regulate the inflow and water discharge so as to overcome a flooding situation.” He directed the deputy commissioner’s to restrict boating and swimming activities, adding that the catchment area near the Indus River should be monitored in order to deal with any untoward situation. Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained since India stripped Kashmiris of the special autonomy they had for seven decades through a rushed presidential order on August 5. Following this, Pakistan resolved to downgrade diplomatic relations with New Delhi and suspended all bilateral trade.

Meanwhile, according to Indian media reports, a flood alert has been issued for New Delhi.

India Today reported that the Delhi government issued a red-alert for the low-lying areas of the city. The report added that people living in the areas were asked to move to safer places as the water level in Yamuna River was expected to rise and “cross the danger mark” today. Additionally, NDTV reported casualties in various parts of India in rain-related incidents. At least 24 people were killed while nine others were injured in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. The death toll in Karnataka rose to 76 while three individuals were killed in Punjab after the roof of a house collapsed.

On the other hand, Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda said on Monday that India was obliged to provide prior information about “extraordinary floods” in eastern rivers flowing to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty.

In a statement, he said there was no high flood in the country’s rivers at any location as per the water levels of dams and major rivers measured. The minister stressed that the Indus Waters Treaty would not only ensure peace between Pakistan and India but in the entire region. “If India does not fulfill its obligations, the treaty provides a complete mechanism for Pakistan to get justice,” he added. Moreover, he said the government was vigilant and would exercise all options given in the treaty. According to Article XII of the treaty, neither India nor Pakistan could unilaterally abrogate it unless there was a modified and duly ratified treaty between the two countries, Vawda explained. India on Sunday released at least 200,000 cusecs of water into Sutlej River without giving prior information to Pakistan. According to the NDMA, 150,000 to 200,000 cusecs of water from Indian Punjab will soon enter Ganda Singh Wala – a border village near Kasur. Soon after the alert issued by the NDMA, the administrations of Kasur and other districts located on the bank of Sutlej River were advised to initiate necessary measures to tackle emergencies. According to the NDMA, India has also opened three out of five spillways of Ladakh Dam.