DADU: Rescue and relief operation in flood-hit villages of Kachho belt in the western part of the district continued on Monday as irrigation department succeeded to plug two more breaches in the Flood Protective dyke at RD-75 and RD-25.

Pak Army jawans, district administration, Edhi Foundation and other non-governmental organisations remained engaged in the relief and rescue work.

Edhi Foundation team leader Mohammad Ramzan Khushik said that the volunteers rescued 150 people in union council Chhinni and distributed cooked food and ration among 5,000 families in 20 villages.

Pak Army and Navy officials continued to rescue marooned people in union councils of Sawro, Drigh Bala, TR Khan, Wahi Pandhi, Chhinni and Pat Gul Mohammad in Kachho belt.

Some breaches in FP Bund dyke plugged

Johi Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Ali Baloch said that 300 people were rescued by personnel of Pak Army and Navy in several flood-hit villages. Pak Army and Dadu administration provided ration to the rescued people after shifting them to relief camps set up in Johi. Pak Army distributed cooked food and ration bags through helicopters in several flood-hit villages, he said.

Saylani Welfare Trust continued distribution of cooked food and ration bags in union council of Drigh Bala and Johi.

The trust’s regional head of Hyderabad Imtiaz Ali said that ration bags had been distributed among 12,000 families in 20 villages along FP dyke. The process of distribution of 15,000 more ration bags had already been started, he said.

Thardeep Rural Development Programme’s Jai Parkash said that the NGO established camps at FP bund near Johi and Chhinni towns, rescued 100 people and distributed food among 250 families.

The district health department continued its services from medical camp at FP dyke near Johi. DHO Dr Zahid Hussain Dawachh said that 200 people were treated at the free medical camp.

Irrigation dept plugs two breaches in FP dyke

The irrigation department succeeded in plugging breaches in FP dyke at RD-75, five kilometres from Johi town, and at RD-25, 10km from the town on Monday.

Sukkur Barrage chief engineer Irshad Ali Memon said that after hectic efforts engineers of the department succeeded in plugging the 150-feet wide breach.

Meanwhile, General Commanding Officer Hyderabad Major General Mohammad Kashif Azad visited RD-75 along the FP dyke, inspected the breached site and the ongoing repair work.

Sukkur Barrage chief engineer Irshad Ali Memon said while briefing the GOC that heavy machines and personnel had been moved to other breach sites at RD-41 and RD-50 to plug them.

He said that three feet water was flowing into Nai Gaaj Nullah and water along the dyke had reduced at different places of the bund.

RBOD-II chief engineer Syed Sardar Ahmed Shah who led irrigation teams engaged in plugging the breach at RD-25, 10km from Johi, said that the breach had been plugged with the help of heavy machines and labourers.

He said that stones were dumped at the breached site to fill the wide gap created by the floodwaters. Water level had reduced at various places along the dyke, he said.

Manchhar Lake level rises

Manchhar Lake’s water level has risen to 113 feet (reduced level) in the wake of recent heavy rains in Khirthar range but the rising level does not pose any threat to the lake embankments, according to officials.

Sindh secretary for irrigation Rafiq Ahmed Buriro who visited the lake along with Irshad Ali Memon on Monday said that all embankments were safe and local fishermen were overjoyed at the rising level of the lake. The lake which had storage capacity till 130 feet RL had risen to 113 feet RL, said Memon.

Manchhar Lake engineer Mahesh Kumar said that 1,400 cusecs had started to flow into Indus River through Aral Canal. The lake water had refreshed after mixing up of hill torrents, he said.

He said that flow of rainwater into the lake had reduced but 2,500 cusecs from Main Nara Valley Drain were still flowing into the lake at zero point.

Manchhar Bachayo Ittehad chairman Moula Bux Mallah said that the lake’s water had become fresh, significantly decreasing pollution levels.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum vice chairman Ghulam Mustafa Mirani said that the rainwater had cleansed the lake water to such an extent that it could safely be used for cultivation of crops.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2020