Project and Report 1 Irrigation System of Pakistan

6.3.2 Current Status in Pakistan:

In Pakistan telemetry system has been failed to provide correct data it has been providing
faulty data. In some cases there was a difference of almost 25 %, while in some places the
telemetry system even failed to provide data.
Earlier, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) had refused to take over the charge of
the defective telemetry system, but the Water and Power Ministry ordered the regulatory body to
run the telemetry system, saying Siemens, a company which installed the system, would continue
to work with IRSA until the calibration becomes correct.
"Siemens, a German-based company, was monitoring the withdrawal of water at several
points of the Indus water distribution system through satellite and trying to confirm the
distribution of water among the provinces." There was an agreement between the government
and Siemens for operating the telemetry system for 6 months for which the company was being
paid Rs 8.8 million as operational charges. Half of the time of the agreement was expired, but so
far, at many points, the telemetry system was failed to provide correct reading.
Here are some examples of the faulty data of telemetry system providing on January 6
2005;
 Telemetry system did not show any figures about the work of the spillways or
tunnel of the Tarbela dam, but in the manual reading considerable data has been
received. However, some data of the powerhouse was available there.
 Similarly, regarding River Kabul flows at Nowshera the telemetry system reading
has shown mean discharge of about 19,743 cusecs, while in manual data it was
14,300 cusecs.
 In Chashma, no data was available at the telemetry system; while in the manual
reading complete data was provided.
 Regarding the water flows at Sukkur the telemetry system has shown 4,919
cusecs, which is 5,682 cusecs according to the manual data.

6.3.3 Causes of Failure in Pakistan:

Following are some causes of the failure of telemetry system in Pakistan;

1. Improper maintenance,
2. Lack of technical persons to operate telemetry system.
3. Sensor failure of the system.
4. No proper care. Etc.

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