Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

e) Mr. Shakil Durrani, Chairman Wapda provided a global overview of
the water sector with special focus on the weather-related changes
in the region and deposed that historically, the factors which
triggered record floods of 1924 and 1929 were primarily caused by
exceptionally high rainfall in various locations including the
catchments of Kabul, Swat and Indus River systems, in relatively
shorter durations. The 2010 Flood was triggered by unprecedented
rainfall in catchments compounded by a significant regional shift in
climatic behaviour, prompted by confluence and clash of two
weather systems of South-west monsoon from the East and
Westerly system from the Gulf that stayed over north-western belt
of Pakistan, some 80-100 km westwards from its traditional loci.
That Wapda was responsible for upkeep of two major Dams at
Tarbela and Mangla besides storage in Chashma Barrage on the
Indus. Technically sound SOPs were in position to regulate daily/
hourly water storages and releases from these reservoirs. Unless
the WAPDA maintained structures were critically endangered, its
water releases required IRSA indents. During 2010 flood at a
critical juncture, on certain days, Tarbela retained higher than
normally permissible levels that partially reduced rising water levels
downstream Khairabad, to prevent major disaster for the controlled
irrigation infrastructures, public and private life and property, all
through. The 2010 Flood did not cause any significant damage to
WAPDA maintained structures except the losses caused by flash
floods in Swat. Additional capacity created by raising the height of
Mangla Dam required gradual filling of 2.28 MAF water over the
next few years, beginning 2011 summer. However, the process
was delayed due to presence of affectees in the expanded pond
area in the AJK, partly due to delayed payment of full compensation
and resettlement. It was stated that WAPDA was invited by Sindh
Government to advise about the infrastructure in Sukkur and other
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