SUKKUR, April 18: Sukkur Barrage has not been cleared of silt for the past 15 years, several gates remain closed and a project for replacement of some of the gates and repair of distribution wall, arches and road has been awaiting approval for five years. But the departments concerned responsible for looking after this lifeline of Sindh’s agriculture appear least concerned. Talking to this correspondent on Monday, Sukkur Barrage Chief Engineer Aftab Khoso claimed that the barrage was in perfect condition. All its 66 gates were in good shape and there would be no danger to the structure if a super flood struck it again, he said.

Not to speak of the barrage alone, silt deposits had not been removed even from the Indus during the last 15 years, which had led to shrinkage of riverbed and created problems during flood, he said.

But, he said, the silt was seven feet below the gates which did not cause any hindrance to water discharge. All gates were opened from time to time according to water discharge situation, he said.

Mr Khoso said that gates from 11 to 66 were opened four to 10 inches as per water discharge position and gates from 1 to 10 mostly remained closed due to technical reasons.

He said that the first ten gates and the gates from 23 to 26 which remained permanently closed to stop silt would be opened very soon before start of rainy season with the help of Chinese engineers. The Chinese engineers’ team inspected these gates a few days ago, he said.

The silt would pose no problem if 150,000 to 250,000 cusec water flowed down the river under the barrage especially during winter season on a regular basis, he claimed.

ENCROACHMENTS: Mr Khoso said that encroachers had built houses and godowns on the river’s embankments in urban area, which posed danger to the Bunder Wall.

He said that four-km stretch of Bunder Wall from zero point to Sukkur Barrage was in a shambles. Therefore, a new concrete wall, four inches thick and six to 10 feet high from the road level was being erected, said the chief engineer said.

He said that the river’s width was 750 feet but when its passed through the city, it shrank to 350 feet because of illegal construction in the river from zero point to Sukkur Barrage.

If encroachments inside the river were not removed before onset of monsoon season these would cause damage during floods, he said.

The chief engineer said that a team of three consultants, Idris Rajput, Allah Warayo Channa and Noor Mohammad Baloch inspected flood protective bunds and witnessed encroachments on April 10.

He said that he hoped work would start on the first phase of rehabilitation of the barrage and seven off-taking canals on April 21 after seeking final approval from the secretary of irrigation.

The first phase comprises complete overhauling of all gates, strengthening of embankments from Ali Wahan area to Sukkur Barrage and construction of double Bunder Wall along one-km stretch from Main Bunder Road in front of Sadhu Belo to Makrani Masjid in case illegal occupations inside the Bunder Wall are removed.

He said that in 2006, the government had approved a grant of Rs1,873 million for the replacement of some gates, repair and maintenance of distribution wall, arches and road but the grant was not released.

Mr Khoso said the government would release the funds in July and new consultants would be hired for rehabilitation programme. The funds would be spent on only two-km stretch along the left and right banks, construction and repair of road and maintenance of machinery used for opening and closing barrage gates, he added.