HYDERABAD, March 9: The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) which met in Islamabad on Monday, was given a thorough briefing by officials of the three barrages of Sindh who also raised important issues regarding the irrigation system of the province. The FFC was informed that capacity of Sukkur barrage - lifeline of Sindh - must be increased for which a model study by Nadeepur Institute of Lahore is needed.

The demand for an annual allocation of 150,000 cusec of water for Kotri barrage for scouring and flushing operation was also raised.

The officials also spoke about Reni canal that emanates from Guddu barrage and said Wapda is not taking barrage official on board on it.

The meeting was attended by officials of three barrages of Sindh including Guddu, Sukkur and Kotri and other barrages of the country.

A detailed presentation was given by the Chief Engineer of Sukkur barrage Agha Ejaz. The FFC is reported to have assured the officials that it would extend maximum help

to Sindh irrigation department.

The meeting was informed that a recommendation has also been sent to the institute this month by the provincial irrigation department to carry out the study.

The Kotri barrage official urged the FFC to ensure availability of 150,000 cusec of water for scouring and flushing operation to clear silt given the fact the barrage is at the tail-end and suffers either way i.e super flood or shortage of water.

Then FFC wanted to get an update whether the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs), being adopted currently in the country's head works, needed any changes or modification and what was the condition of the flood protective bunds.

The CE of Sukkur barrage told Dawn that he informed the meeting that ten gates of the barrage were lying closed since 1942 which had reduced its capacity to 900,000 cusec from 1.5 million cusec and it had created sort of an island there.

He spoke about encroachments on the riverbed which was detrimental to the barrage in view of heavy flows of water.

Following damages noted in the barrage structure in year 2004, a PC-I of rehabilitation of the barrage with an allocation of Rs,1800 million was approved in 2010. Those damages were repaired by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

The Sukkur barrage, with seven canals, has a cultivable command area (CCA) of around 7.552 million acres in Sindh.

Out of Rs1800 million, Rs240 million have been released for the purpose and of this Rs124 million are meant for repair of Bunder wall, damaged during heavy floods last year while the remaining one were being utilised for further investigations, surveys and consultation services.

Consultants were hired as per PC-I which covers works on regulators, discharges, Bunder and barrage itself. Bids for repair of Bunder wall have been called which would be opened on March 18 to be followed by repair work on it.

A model study had already been proposed in 1986 but it was still pending. A fresh requisition has been sent to the Nadeepur institute in Lahore for its early completion that would later be analysed by consultants before implementation, said the CE of the barrage.

The FFC was informed that unless the capacity of the barrage is increased, a threat would keep looming over it. Agha Ejaz said that the flow of the river has been obstructed by encroachments along the river banks.

He said that the island has to be dredged whereas there is a problem on the Bunder wall. “We need the study to be finalised as soon as possible so that it can be analysed by our consultants. I have submitted a fresh requisition for it this month”, he further said.

Under model study, he explained, a structure of barrage is created and then certain experiments and tests are conducted with different angles amidst different flows of water. The behaviour of the river is also noted and then final findings are recommended.

Abdul Qadir Palijo, superintending engineer of Kotri barrage, who represented his CE in the meeting, called for allocation of 150,000 cusec of water for scouring operation through which silt from the whole base of barrage is cleared and silt from pocket gates is cleared if 50,000 cusec of water is available.

He informed the FFC members that both these operation can simultaneously be carried out with 150,000 cusec of water in a year.

He contended that being a tail-end area, the Kotri barrage suffers in case of super flood or non-availability of water at the barrage. He said that only 2,800 cusec of water was available in June last while there was super flood in August last year. And, he added, out of 2,800 cusec, 1,000 cusec is to be given to Karachi for drinking purpose.

The CE of Guddu barrage Zahoor Qazi raised the issue of Reni canal and said that Wapda is modifying the design of the canal without taking the barrage management on board. The canal is meant to supply water to Balochistan. He sought settlement of this dispute with Wapda.