HYDERABAD: Resumption of water supplies into the Kalri Baghar (KB) Feeder, which has been put on hold due to the ongoing work for the lining of source canal, has hit delay. The lining work is part of the K-IV project, meant for water supply to Karachi. Resumption of supplies into the feeder was originally scheduled to be effected by January 25 (today).
The K-IV project is being executed by Wapda while the feeder’s lining project has been undertaken by Sindh irrigation department on a 50-50pc cost sharing basis with federal government.
Initially, it was hinted by Kotri Barrage authorities that the feeder may start getting water supplies by Jan 25 but given the nature of the work its timeline may have to be extended to end of January.
The work has created challenges for the district administration and irrigation authorities, which have to struggle to overcome water shortage in Jamshoro town, three major universities of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) and Sindh University (SU) and Kotri as they were dependent on the KB feeder for water.
MUET has been holding online classes for students since Jan 13 while LUMHS would begin classes from Jan 27 when its new batch would enter the varsity. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is also likely to attend convocation of MUET.
The lining project aims to conserve around 500 cusecs of water that will be diverted to K-IV through Keenjhar Lake in Thatta. The feeder being perennial irrigation channel is also potential and principal source of drinking water for Thatta, Kotri and Jamshoro.
“We are aware of the problem being faced by people and we are also endeavouring to ensure water supply through tankers in Jamshoro and Bholari areas of the district,” said Kotri Barrage chief engineer Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur.
He said that the feeder might remain closed till Jan 27-28 and it had been conveyed to district administration as well. “The lining from canal’s head up to its four RDs has been done and water supply into the canal can start up to RD-90 from the canal’s head in view of water shortage problem in Jamshoro and Bholari,” he said.
He said that Thatta was not that much affected by water shortage when compared with Jamshoro. “Compactness is of prime importance and is to be ensured in the canal’s bed after determining settling of concrete material,” he said.
He said that these parameters needed to be confirmed first before resuming water supply. “All these facts have been conveyed to the administration,” he said.
Due to impending water shortage, hostels in MUET had been closed.
According to the university’s spokesman, aroudn1,200 male and female students stay in the hostels and since water scarcity was already anticipated, the university has launched online classes from Jan 13.
Jamshoro deputy commissioner Ghazanfar Qadri advised all chairmen of municipal committees of Jamshoro, including Bholari, Kotri and Jamshoro to ensure water supplies through private tankers.
He cautioned the municipal authorities against overcharging tankers and said the tankers found overcharging for drinking water supplies would be penalised. Rs1600 should be fixed for a small tanker and Rs2,200 for bigger one in any nearest location.
Sindh irrigation authorities had planned to close the first phase of work by Jan 15 and resume water supplies. But now the period had been extended to Jan 25 and officials feared further extension in the targeted date.
The project is divided into three packages and 20 reduced distances (RDs) are targeted to be lined in each package out of total 180 RDs. The project was to be executed in four years period when it was conceived but now it was to be completed in three years.
After the lining of Rohri Canal, Sukkur barrage’s main left bank channel, it was second important project of any major offtaking canal of Sindh’s irrigation system. Rohri Canal project was hit by corruption was well.
Kotri barrage chief engineer has been named as project director for KB feeder lining, which got delayed during caretaker regime in December 2023 when the then secretary irrigation Dr Niaz Abbasi had stayed its bidding process after then caretaker law minister Umer Soomro had raised the issue with Abbasi in view of reports of some alleged irregularities. It was, however, later on allowed involving international competitive bidding (ICB).
Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2025
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