Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that floodwater will safely pass through Sindh province as arrangements have been made in this regard.
He was talking to journalists after he was briefed by the secretary irrigation on flood situation after visiting Left Bank of the River Indus from Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage, said a hand out issued on Saturday night.
The chief minister said that 700,000 cusecs floodwater was expected till August 3, however, water flow may further increase due to expected rain on Koh-e-Suleman from Monday to Wednesday. Therefore, he added, arrangements had been made to handle 900,000 cusecs floodwater.
The chief minister said presently there was no threat to Sukkur Barrage because 12,00,000 cusecs floodwater passed through the barrage in 2010. He informed that a World Bank’s team and British experts would visit Sukkur Barrage and prepare a report for required repair work.
Qaim Ali Shah said that according to irrigation experts the repair work would extend the life of the barrage for another 25 years. Earlier, Secretary Irrigation Syed Zaheer Haider Shah briefed the chief minister and said that presently there was no threat to protective embankments due to water pressure, adding that round the clock surveillance of embankments by district administration and irrigation department’s officials was being ensured.
He pointed out that currently upstream water flow at Sukkur Barrage was 600,000 cusecs, and according to flood prediction, 725,000 cusecs water will pass through Sukkur Barrage on August 3.
He informed that there was possibility of increase in water flow due to forecast of more rain at Koh-e-Suleman, therefore, he added, preparations had been made to handle 900,000 cusecs water. The Sukkur commissioner briefed the chief minister on relief works in rain/flood-affected districts of Sukkur division. The chief minister told the commissioner that each district would receive Rs 5 million for relief works, adding that the finance department had been issued instructions in this regard.
Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, and CM Sindh’s Special Assistant Ali Hasan Hangor were also present.
