HYDERABAD, Jan 5: The Kotri Barrage authorities on Monday lifted gates well before end of scheduled time to supply water to the city over repeated requests from the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) and the district government whose water reservoirs were running short of water.

The gates through which water was released to the canals fed by the barrage had been closed in connection with annual inspection of the barrage and its off-taking canals. The closure period would have come to an end during midnight of Jan 7 and 8.

According to chief engineer of Kotri Barrage Manzoor Shaikh they had to step up pace of work on repair, maintenance and checking of entire barrage during last 24 hours. “I submitted my final inspection report to authorities before opening the barrage,” he said. Sindh Irrigation Minister Murad Ali Shah, accompanied by the secretary of irrigation, also visited the barrage on Sunday.

The authorities have to dewater all canals fed by the barrage to inspect the infrastructure that remained under river water throughout the year. The barrage’s gates are opened to allow flow of water downstream.

The authorities checked the pavement, gates, rollers, drums and other infrastructure and then opened the barrage. There was nil discharge at Sukkur downstream because its closure period would begin from Jan 7 or 8.

Mr Sheikh claimed that Kotri Barrage would be getting regenerated water and it would be stored for the combined channel. The minister and the secretary expressed satisfaction over the work that could only be carried out during closure period, he said.

However, till the filing of this report required quantity of water in the combined channel – the spot where Wasa lifts water – is not available and it will attain required level sometime during midnight to allow water to be lifted by turbines.

Likewise, Arkam Wah, which supplies water to Tando Mohammad Khan and its adjoining areas will also get water after midnight. Water was not supplied to Kalri Baghar Feeder – one of the off-taking canals of barrage on its right side – that supplied water to Karachi through Keenjhar lake, he said. According to Wasa officials, the gates have not been completely lowered and water was still being released downstream.

“We have been told by barrage authorities they will close the gates systematically and not in one go so it will take some time,” said the official. He said that Wasa’s lagoons would have water for around two days and expressed the hope that water supply would resume on Ashura days. The two lagoons of Wasa stored 400 million gallons of water and with construction of a third one that developed breach on the second day of Eidul Azha, the water capacity had increased to 500 million gallons but it currently needs repair.

Around 40 MGD of water is being supplied to the city through rationing system ever since the lagoons ran short of water, otherwise Wasa provides around 50 to 55 MG of water daily from its lagoons to the city.