Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday presided over a meeting on the disposal of flood and rainwater from cities, towns, and agricultural lands and directed the Irrigation department to ensure the draining out rainwater by the end of October so that displaced people could be sent back to their homes and lands could be prepared for sowing early and late varieties of Rabi crop.
“I am working day and night to ensure sowing of Rabi crops, particularly the wheat to avoid a famine-like situation next year for which everyone in the agriculture and irrigation departments has to be my helping hand,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Brigadier Nayar of Engineering Corps Corps-5, Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh, Chief Engineer Irrigation Jamal, DG PDMA Salman Shah, and former chief engineer Zahid Shaikh. Those who attended the meeting through video link included Chief Engineer Development-II Zarif Khero, MD SIDA Pritam Das, and Chief Engineer Sukkur Sardar Shah.
Jam Khan Shoro while briefing the chief minister said that River Indus was flowing normally at Guddu, Sukkur, and Kotri Barrages.
The chief minister said that Manchhar Lake has also shown a reduction of water by 5.95 feet, from R.L 123.30 R.L to 117.35 R.L. Similarly, the level at Dadu-Moro Bridge has come down from RL-130.40 to R.L 119.40 that showed a reduction of 11 feet. Mr. Shoro said that the water level has reduced along FP Bund ranging from 8.5 ft to 11.5 ft in the upper reach of Saifullah and Rice Canal Division, whereas 5 to 8 ft in the lower reach of Southern Dadu Division. He further said that the water level along Suprio has also reduced about 6 to 7 ft. Reduction along MNV at RD-194 is about 4.2 ft, at RD 210 is about 3.5 ft and at RD-346 is about 11.4 ft.
The water level has reduced from 5.85 feet to 2 feet along KN Shah to Dadu Road. Talking about the current situation of inundation on the right side of the Sukkur barrage, the minister of irrigation told the CM that the reduction at Johi Branch, RD-67 (KN Shah Dadu Road) has been recorded at 6.2 ft. The breach at FP Bund at RD-169 (Chukhi) and the breach of 600 feet at RD-224 IP Side Saifullah Magsi Branch have been plugged. He said that closing work of cut at Manchhar Lake RD-14 is in progress.
During the online discussion, Zarif Iqbal Khero, Chief Engineer Development-II, told the chief minister that water was receding from LBOD Spinal smoothly at about 1-2 decimals a day which would increase as time passes. He further said that the speedy evacuation was taking place in Sanghar district as well as in Mirpurkhas apart from Taluka Jhudo which was dependent on further reduction in the Spinal drain at RD 295.
According to Zarif, the Tando Bago of Badin district will take time to evacuate because of a breach in Dhoro Puran. He said land acquisition from private owners was required to connect Tando Jan Mohammad Drain to the outflow into Dhoro Puran. At this, the CM directed deputy commissioner Mirpurkhas to ensure the acquisition of the particular land. He further told the forum that a sufficient waterway has been given to Hakro Dhoro to join Dhoro Puran at RD 211 which was successfully getting water and Hakro’s gauges at different places were decreasing regularly.
For evacuation of the waters of the South-Eastern part of district Sanghar and Umerkot, the chief engineer apprised that a separate channel leading to Dhoro Puran at Vango Patan (near Spinal RD 210) has been excavated which has started disposing of water of the area, especially of the Naukot city which happened in the immediate vicinity of the [newly excavated] channel. It may be noted that on the instructions of the chief minister the survey has been initiated to develop a permanent system of drainage, including drains, bridges, watercourse crossings, and inlets.
The CM directed that all measures should be taken to close the remnant part of a breach in Dhoro Puran across Jhudo city. The chief minister directed the irrigation department to clear the Roshanabad bridge in district Mirpurkhas within the next four days so that it could be used for vehicular traffic. He also directed the chief secretary to take NHA on board for clearing the Indus Highway at toll plaza.
Murad directed the irrigation department to insert pipes under the road for the flow of water.