HYDERABAD/DADU/LARKANA: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday paid a whirlwind tour of many talukas to inspect condition of dykes and water bodies in the wake of recent downpour and resultant beaches and flooding of villages.

During his inspection of Manchhar Lake and Aral Wah head regulator, which was recently remodeled under the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), he was briefed about the ongoing construction work.

The CM asked the officials concerned for early completion of two bridges over Aral Wah (canal) and said that this would help ensure safe release of water from Manchhar Lake into Indus river. He was accompanied by Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, MNA Malik Asad Sikandar, MPAs Dr Sikandar Shoro and Mir Nadir Magsi as well as irrigation and district administration officers.

A new head regulator had been built under SFERP over Aral Wah with 14 gates to allow maximised flows from Manchhar Lake whenever needed. CM told journalists that the lake’s current level was 114RL and currently situation was under control. He, however, said that heavy rainfall was reported in Sindh but embankments of Manchhar Lake remained safe as they had been strengthened.

He said that federal government didn’t allocate funds for the rehabilitation of Main Nara Valley Drain (MNVD) or Right Bank Outfall Drain-I which was damaged in the 2022 rains and flooding. “I protest against federal government that it didn’t carry out these works of MNVD,” he said alluding to the damage reported to MNVD in the shape of breaches and massive erosion of its banks in 2022.

He said federal government was required to pay attention to people’s issues. He said that while Manchhar Lake’s dykes were strong, the MNVD still posed a threat. He recalled that the MNVD had spelt disaster in 2022. He said Sindh government had made arrangements for rain emergency.

Later, the CM went to a village to condole death of three persons of a family who had drowned in torrents.

In Larkana, the chief minister visited different dykes, Right Bank Outfall Drain and Hamal Lake. Speaking to the media, he said at the moment, the government did not face any problem with the River Indus, and hinted at a danger if more rainfall occurred in the Koh-i-Suleman area in the days to come.

At the Moria Loop Bund, some 18 kilometres from Larkana city, the CM told the media that problems were always cropped up after filling Hamal Lake, MNV Drain and Manchhar Lake with rainwater. He said more than predicted rains fell but no unfortunate incident was seen.

He said connectivity of villages was affected but it was a normal phenomenon and people would be happy there. The thatched houses coming in the way of descending hill torrents were normally damaged and approaches between villages and cities were cut off. In the same breath, he added PPP government would not leave affected people helpless. “In line with Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s vision, we are on to construct 2.1m houses for marooned families and so far 150,000 had already been built. He expected a huge spell of rain during Aug 25-26 and said, it was this reason that prompted him to personally visit vulnerable points and other structures.

He pointed out that the drastically damaged irrigation system was rehabilitated during the 2022 unprecedented rains and flooding. “We also reaped a record crop, he added.

Irrigation Secretary Zareef Khero in the presence of Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, MPAs Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio, Mir Nadir Khan Magsi, District Council chairman Aijaz Leghari and the Larkana commissioner, deputy commissioner briefed the chief minister with the help of charts the present position of Moria Loop Bund and the measures so far taken to strengthen it.

The secretary irrigation said that canals on the right bank were closed from head and the very decision was made in the light of recent rains. Due to heavy rains, water current was high and breach in Dadu canal was reported while flows in MNV Drain had swelled, he said.

The chief minister asked the irrigation officials to keep a watchful eye on the Moria Loop Bund.

Hamal Lake: CM Shah along with ministers and officials concerned visited Hamal Lake from where Right Bank Outfall Drain starts.

The current situation at the Lake appeared to be satisfactory as CM saw that the volume of water was not huge.

He said everybody complained that work was not carried out on MNV Drain after previous unprecedented rains. He said one bank of RBOD was completely damaged while condition of other bank was also not good. “This (RBOD) is a federal government’s project which is still incomplete, he said, and added in this connection he had talked to the Wapda chairman who told him that a project of Rs8.3 billion was lying with the centre for the last two years which required federal government’s nod.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2024