KARACHI. Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro has sought suggestions from the international and national experts for increasing the water capacity from 900,000 cusecs to 1.5 million cusecs at Sukkur Barrage.

Speaking as the chief guest at the Hydraulic Model Study Workshop at a local hotel, he said that the barrage had a capacity of 1.5 million cusecs when it was constructed, but it decreased to 0.9 million cusecs.

International and national experts concerned were invited to suggest to reduce the sediment issue and increase water capacity at Sukkur Barrage, he said.

The minister said that it was a political will and commitment with the people of the province to construct the new Sukkur Barrage. “Experts should advise for the location of construction of new Sukkur Barrage,” he added.

Sindh cannot survive without Sukkur Barrage, workshop told

Irrigation expert Mohammad Ibrahim Samoo said that all income of the province depended on the Indus River and Sukkur Barrage was important for agriculture and economy of Sindh.

He said that the province could not survive without Sukkur Barrage and would become desert without it.

He said that protective bunds were constructed on the barrage during 1940 and added that there were high floods in 1976, 2010 and 2022.

Former additional irrigation secretary Aslam Ansari said that surveys were being conducted to construct new Sukkur Barrage for the past two years.

He said that three options were explored for the construction of the new Sukkur Barrage and added that one site was proposed at the upstream of the barrage. “Second site is at the existing Sukkur Barrage and third is at downstream of Sukkur Barrage at a distance of three of kilometres from it.”

Project Director of Sukkur Barrage Improvement Project Ghulam Mohiuddin Mughal said that the barrage irrigated eight million acres through seven off-taking canals.

He said that the scope of works was identified during feasibility study conducted from 2011 to 2018 under the Sindh Water Sector Improvement Project (SWSIP) funded by the World Bank.

The project, he said, included the rehabilitation of existing structure, replacement of all gates of main barrage, improvement in gate operational system, replacement of electrical installations, modernisation of monitoring and surveillance equipment, dredging of barrage at upstream and downstream, desilting in the initial reaches of Rice Canal and construction of offices, labs, workshop and residential buildings.

He said that irrigation department had prepared terms of reference (TORs) in consultation with the World Bank to identify the solution for the issues and intended to engage international laboratory to conduct physical and numerical model studies.

Nazeer Essani, another expert, said that irrigation officials restored the Gate No 47 of Sukkur Barrage in minimum possible time under the guidance of the irrigation minister.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2024