KARACHI – The Sindh government has constituted a committee for determining the actual figure of breaches in the embankments of Indus River and different canals during the last year’s flood and the amount required for their repair works. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah held at the CM House to review the rehabilitation process in the flood-affected areas of the province.
The decision comes when two committees are already visiting and monitoring the repair and rehabilitation works in the province. The first committee headed by MPA Syed Ahmed Ali Shah was established under the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari, while the other was constituted by the provincial government comprising the provincial irrigation minister, the rehabilitation minister, the irrigation secretary among others.
According to an official handout, the chief minister has constituted the committee after varying reports of figures of breaches and repair pointed out by the earlier formed committees. The committee comprising the provincial rehabilitation minister, the Programme for Monitoring Unit (PMU) project director, the irrigation secretary, district coordination officers (DCOs) of districts concerned and officers from revenue and irrigation departments was tasked the committee to visit, check and reconcile the figures for compiling an accurate report.
The chief minister stressed the need to complete all repairs and renovation works within time and before the arrival of the next aabkalani (flood) period. He directed the committee that all works should be done as per specifications and standard norms and the works should be durable, while entrusting the Irrigation Department to ensure the quality and durability of bunds.
Sindh Irrigation Secretary Muhammad Rafik Memon and Sukkur Barrage Right Bank Region Larkana Chief Engineer M Haroon Memon presented a briefing regarding the post-flood situation inclusive of issues of stagnant water, strengthening of embankments of Indus River, its distributaries, canals, and plugging of breaches and other developmental schemes. The participants of the meeting were informed that the Tori Bund breach occurred on August 7, 2010 inundating the jurisdiction within Right Bank Region of Larkana, which caused damages in Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Dadu and Jamshoro districts.
Almost all the said districts were clear now and in most of the areas, people have cultivated and raised the Rabi crop. Around 831,000 acres of land were submerged until November 12, 2010 while on February 1, 2011, it stands at 16,000 acres. With regards to strengthening of Indus River banks and other bunds, it was informed that the damaged stone aprons, stone pitching, and raising of bunds have been repaired at the cost of Rs 5.078 billion. Fourteen schemes in Western Sindh Circle Larkana and 12 schemes in Saifullah Magsi Branch Circle Larkana are being completed at a cost of Rs 933.438 million.
The irrigation secretary said that 31 new schemes are being initiated with effect from February 17, 2011. Later, DCOs of Shikarpur, Kashmor-Kandhkot, Larkana, Jacobabad, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Dadu, Jamshoro and Thatta presented their detailed reviews of work being carried out in their respective districts and recorded their reservations. The PMU project director presented a report regarding the verification of actual damages/ breaches and the works undertaken so far.
