In line with the findings of the Punjab Flood Enquiry Tribunal Report 2010 and Report of Flood Inquiry Commission appointed by Supreme Court of Pakistan, a high-powered committee formed by Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif Friday recommended the Punjab Government to “expeditiously finalize” disciplinary proceedings against “delinquents” for their failure to deal with the extraordinary flood situation in year 2010 which wreaked havoc in most parts of the country and claimed over 1600 lives besides leaving over 20 million shelter-less.
However, the committee, which was mandated to examine and evaluate the Flood Enquiry Tribunal Report, in its report finalized on Thursday, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, surprisingly suggested for a cover up to the blunders committed by the bureaucrats, stating that the punishment to the officials responsible for messing the lives of people as over 1600 people had died in floods.
“While it will be tempting to look for scapegoats in an inquiry on the floods, in my view this should not be focus. The roots of the tragedy are in the failures of all,” said the report finalized by the committee comprising on federal and provincial bureaucracy. The committee’s report also did not make comments on violation of specific rules and regulations, stating that its comments were the subject of formal inquiries already underway separately.
The committee, nevertheless, observed that the disciplinary proceedings should be held according to the guidelines/directions/regulations prevailing at the time of incidence. The committee also exonerated the political heavyweights of the PML-N, including Zulfiqar Khosa, which had been accused by the locals of influencing the decision-making to make breaches to save their properties and lands.
The Punjab Flood Enquiry Tribunal Report 2010 was authored by a sitting judge of the Lahore High Court, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, which had held the ministry of irrigation and power (I&P) responsible for lack of preparedness and then ineffective response to watery offensives when it started hitting barrages and bunds falling in Punjab. The report had also termed the provincial flood managers as flustered, inexperienced and ill-equipped.
Fundamental flood fighting material was astonishingly found missing which the report said amounted to a critical omission, said the tribunal report. The committee tasked to analyze the tribunal report was headed by Suleman Ghani, ex-Chairman P&D/Secretary Irrigation & Power, Punjab, also included Secretary, Agriculture, Secretary, Law & Parliamentary Affairs Department, Secretary, Irrigation, Muhammad Abid Bodla, Member (Infrastructure), P&D, Riaz Ahmed Khan, Advisor, Ministry of Water & Power, Mazhar Ali, ex-Advisor, Irrigation Department, Muhammad Aslam Rasheed, ex-Vice President, NESPAK, and Dr Izhar-ul-Haq, ex-General Manager, WAPDA.
However, Dr Izhar did not participate in the deliberations of the Committee. “The flood problem cannot be tackled in isolation without attending to the overall area of water resource management. Any flood management plan without the isolation of water resource management is erroneous … Flood management always involves difficult trade-offs. Embankments and drains and other protective structures cannot realistically be built to such a level that there is no threat of floods. And so when floods do occur, they should not be seen as ‘a failure’ of the system, but rather as an inevitable part of the uneasy balance which is struck when man lives in very large numbers in a hazardous environment,” said the committee in its report, hinting that a cover up was in the making.
The report also referred to the failure of Punjab government to hold local government elections, stating that in absence of local government system during flood 2010, the District and Tehsil administration system exhibited total lack of local leadership and coordination during emergency of this scale.
“At provincial level, the coordination between the involved departments needs improvement especially in forecasting and coordinated efforts. At district level, all district departments should give priority to the needs of irrigation department for flood management. The need for good governance at local level is imperative during flood emergencies. An overall fresh look at the District and Tehsil administration system is required to bring back the ability for effective leadership and coordination during flood emergencies,” said the report.
The report also called for taking immediate, medium term and long term planning to handle flood situations in future. “A major problem is that maintenance of the existing flood protection infrastructure is deficient, with the result that breaches – damages are not uncommon … there is a long tradition of excellent professional flood management capability in Pakistan. But the great challenges are those of making explicit but difficult trade-offs, financing, implementation, maintenance, and institutional performance – in short, the fundamental problems of development,” added the committee report drafted on Friday, Sep 22, 2011, a copy of which was obtained by Pakistan Today the same day.
Earlier, a series of meetings of the committee were held to review the various findings and recommendations made in the Flood Inquiry Tribunal Report. A technical sub-committee was also constituted by the Committee to verify technical findings of the Punjab Flood Inquiry Tribunal Report on Jinnah and Taunsa Barrages.
Technical findings: The Technical Sub-Committee reviewed the technical findings of the Tribunal Report on Jinnah and Taunsa Barrages. The Sub-Committee was of the view that flood 2010 and its duration was “exceptional” as indicated by the Hydrograph of Indus River at Kalabagh and Taunsa from 28th July to 15th August 2010.
Jinnah Barrage: The sub-committee was of the opinion that Barrages are generally designed to pass one in 100 years flood through the structure. “Jinnah Barrage was originally designed to pass 100 year return period flood of 950,000 cusecs, however, its condition has deteriorated and in its present condition it is not capable of passing the design discharge. Floods over and above the reduced capacity of the structure are to be passed through breaching section. If entire upstream approaching flow (1,030,000 cusecs) would have passed through the Barrage there was a possibility of serious structural damage to the Barrage due to inadequate energy dissipation,” said the subcommittee.
The subcommittee recommended that prototype data should not be overruled as the model gives only qualitative results and engineering judgment is used in predicting the future conditions; The model does not replicate the field conditions because of the dynamics of river morphology and sediment transport; and Model apparently was built on the basis of river survey data prior to floods, therefore, cannot be relied upon fully.
The committee also agreed that there was inadequate pre-flood preparedness at Jinnah Barrage due to non availability of specified stone reserves; Non availability of flood fighting material and machinery at specified points; Continuation of emergent flood works well into the flood season; and Delayed opening of closed gates during floods.
“It was noted that despite the instructions of Secretary IPD, adequate precautionary measures were not taken at the Jinnah Barrage and the available stone was dumped for replenishing the downstream stone apron. New stock was not procured. IPD needs to investigate why the required quantity of stone was not procured and stacked at designated places? The low priority to flood preparedness should be revisited and financial powers of the staff may be enhanced,” said the subcommittee.
Taunsa Barrage: Like Jinnah Barrage, the Tribunal has identified a number of causes of breach in the LMB of Taunsa Barrage, which includes issues related to flood forecasting, inadequate flood preparedness and gaps in flood fighting. The Sub-Committee endorses that most of the causes of damage attributed by the Tribunal are interconnected. Unless there is adequate flood preparedness flood fighting is difficult.
“Part of LMB of Taunsa Barrage collapsed suddenly. LMB was constructed in 1958 with local material. At that time, the specifications for compaction were not the same as are followed now. Still the LMB stood without any major damage for more than 50 years. The embankment was not overtopped and there was still a freeboard of 4.5 ft against 6 ft. 1.5 ft encroachment on free board resulted in increasing both the hydraulic gradient as well as the exit gradient, which resulted in its failure,” said the report.
The technical sub-committee recommended that the irrigation department should learn from this episode and use the experience in improving the SOPs rather than pinpointing the faults of the Barrage managers; M.I.P prepared in 1943 has become obsolete and needs immediate rewriting. Guidelines for flood preparedness should be incorporated in the new version of MIP; A Punjab Bund Manual on the lines of Sindh Bund Manual should be prepared to introduce Bund Management on professional lines; A low priority to flood preparedness should be revisited to enhance the financial powers and morale of the specialized staff; A professional study encompassing the health and safety of all the flood infrastructure be conducted.
“The study should also identify vulnerable reaches and propose sequenced improvement measures; A program of yearly baseline inspection of barrages / structures by qualified and experienced specialists be instituted; Training in flood fighting techniques may be imparted to the staff posted at flood management structures by the present and former staff of the Department who have had experience in flood fighting;Divisional Flood Fighting Plans may be prepared every year; O&M yardsticks for flood works need to be revised and updated to ensure proper maintenance of the flood infrastructure,” recommended the subcommittee.
The committee also proposed a timelines for implementing a flood preparedness plan every year and detailed responsibilities of Punjab Irrigation Department as according to Punjab Government Rules of Business 1974, Irrigation Department is responsible for rivers and riverain surveys, barrages construction work and all matters connected therewith, flood control and flood protection schemes.
The report said the magnitude of Flood 2010 and its duration were exceptionally high. These floods have identified the operational problems in flood management and as such we need to learn from this episode to plug the loop holes in flood management system and use the experience in improving the SOPs.
The committee recommended that the active river plain must be kept available to the river to forestall the meandering/unexpected damaging actions by the river; Cropping may be allowed only as an opportunity and not as a right or privilege; No obstructive structure, earthen or brick, be allowed in Khadir area; High spots for use as safety locations during flood should not be established within the river Khadir/active flood plain.
Overall control and management of all pond areas should remain with the concerned barrage divisions. No infrastructures be allowed to be raised in the pond areas and agricultural use should be allowed only in accordance with defined rules and restrictions, said the report. It is recommended that heavy plantation may not be allowed in pond area, which is most of the time required for the effective operation of the barrage because it restricts the movement of river channels and induces silt deposit.
The Committee observed that barrages are the most critical component of the system. Most of these structures have outlived their life and are subjected to technical and operational issue. The barrages, having strategic position in the irrigation system of the Punjab need to be rehabilitated/remodeled on priority basis and maintained efficiently through competent staff and exclusive organizational setup.
The Committee also viewed that Jinnah Barrage in its present state was not capable of passing the design discharge. Therefore, breaching option was exercised after due process and diligence which saved the barrage.
