KARACHI: The Ministry of Water and Power has instructed the Sindh government to obtain clearance from the Indus River Commission to draw some 100 cusecs of water from the Makhi-Farash Link Canal (Chotiari Reserve Phase-II) for Thar coalfields, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources said that the Sindh government’s Coal and Energy Development Department had approached the MoWP for permission to ensure availability of water at coalfields from Makhi-Farash Link Canal – a project that is estimated to cost around Rs 27 billion.
The Chotiari reserves had been constructed to provide water to backward areas in Sanghar and Mirpurkhas. The major portion of this water is used for agricultural purposes, sources said.
The reservoir in Chotiari swells the storage capacity of the existing systems to supplement irrigation supplies: a 55-kilometre-long earth embankment with a maximum height of 30ft has been created, and it has a capacity of storing 0.7 MAF of water during floods in the Indus River.
The MoWP water wing replied to Sindh’s additional chief secretary for development, asking him to obtain necessary clearance from the Indus River Commission for the apportionment of 100 cusecs of water from the Makhi-Farash Link Canal, sources narrated.
In a letter forwarded to the additional chief secretary, the Sindh government has been urged to carry out a feasibility study, a detailed survey and designing of the project for components of the Makhi-Farash Link Canal-II Thar Coal water carrier – a process likely to cost Rs 329 million.
It has also been suggested that the PC-II for feasibility study and detailed engineering design may be processed separately for approval at this stage, while the PC-I to be prepared under the study should be processed when available. “It is premature to process the present PC-I, costing Rs 27 billion, as these are very provisional estimates,” the letter states.
The acquisition of land, worth Rs 230 million, has been proposed at two percent of the capital cost, while necessary certificate from the local revenue department may also be provided. The component-wise detail break-up cost of the feasibility study of Rs 329 million along with a timeframe has been called for.
The letter further states that design methodology for supply through a 48-inche pipe line, provided by four booster pumps head of over 260 ft is a very expensive option entailing heavy O & M cost, and this needs to be carefully looked into.
“Details of settling the reservoir at Nabisar and the storage reservoir at Vajhiyar may also be provided in the PC-I. Remodelling of structures has been proposed at a cost of Rs 190 million in the PC-I. The cost of elastomatic sealants for the CC lining of Makhi Farash link canal is estimated at Rs 9.9 million, which is quite expensive. Less costly, alternate joint sealants, may be explored without sacrificing the quality of work,” states the letter.
“A lump-sum provision of Rs 160 million has been made for crop compensation, which seems on higher side. Detail break-up of the cost along with rate for desert area may be provided. A lump-sum provision of Rs 719 million has been made for acquisition of land which seems on the higher side. Detail break-up of the cost and certificates from the local revenue department may also be provided,” the letter added.
