THATTA, June 17: Farmers whose lands lie along flood-ravaged Molchand-Surjani bund in Kot Almo and other areas are reluctant to sow rice crop because of unpredictable weather and widespread uncertainty about the government's ability to complete dyke rehabilitation work on time i.e. by June 30.

A visit to vulnerable sites and interviews with stakeholders on Friday revealed that 70 to 80 per cent earthwork at the bunds of Molchand-Surajani, PB protective and Hilaya Sonda had been completed and work on stone-pitching and erection of aprons had not been started yet.

Inhabitants of a small settlement, Belo, and union councils of Keenjhar, Ali Behar, Bijora, Begna, Jaar, Bijora, Kothi, Gul Muhammad Baran, Jati, Dumani and Kala Kot said they were not satisfied with the pace of work on strengthening and rehabilitation of dykes and that was the reason that they were reluctant to resume agriculture activity, their only source of income.

A number of villagers, including those who had witnessed the floods of 1956, 1971, 1988 and 2010 were of the view that this district which was located at the tail-end of the river needed more attention.

Aijaz Ali Khwaja, Anwar Soomro, Ahmed Memon, Shafiq Shah, octogenarians Allah Dino Khalifo and Hanif Khatti said that in this district floodwater intensifies pressure on the dykes while falling into the Arabian Ocean, particularly during high tide in the sea. They said that during the floods the ocean had obstructed the river stream and led to ruptures and breaches its old dykes because the ocean had swallowed up about 1.2 million acres of coastline during a decade-long drought.

But PPP MPA Sadiq Ali Memon, member of district vigilance committee on Thatta bunds, was satisfied with the pace of dyke work and said it was the first time in the area's history that leaders of ruling and opposition parties, civil society and local population of villages near bunds were taking keen interest in the rehabilitation of dykes.

He said the irrigation experts had identified 69 schemes for the rehabilitation of bunds out of which 39 schemes had been undertaken under phase-1. About Rs1 billion would be spent on dykes in Thatta, he said, adding if the work continued uninterrupted it would be completed within the month of July.

Superintendent Engineer of Kalri Baghar Circle Salman Memon said that the earthwork of the PB protective and Sonda Hilaya bund had been completed and stone-pitching would be started within two days. Stone-pitching at 15-km long Sakro-Ghorabari-Gulail bund would be completed by June 30, he said.

Superintendent Engineer of Lower Pinyari Circle Abdul Qadir Palijo claimed that work on the stone-pitching of MS bund at Kot Almo would be started within three days and would be completed till next month.

Former nazim of UC Bijora Dodo Jakhro and Awami Tehrik leader, Dada Qadir Ranto, and a number of landowners of Chhatto Chand and Belo said that unnecessary delay and slow pace of work was a conspiracy hatched by bureaucrats to serve their vested interests.

Villagers were of the view that the population living along the left and right banks of the Indus should also realise their responsibilities and own irrigation installations, including bunds.

They suggested that encroachment in the riverbed and private bunds erected by landlords in the riverine area to protect their farms from onslaught of floods should be dismantled and nobody should be allowed to raise such structures and construct houses.

They said the “commission” the government officials received from the contractors working on the dykes was telling on quality of work, which would yield negative results. Thatta DCO Mohammad Jaffar Abbasi said that he had already requested the secretary of irrigation to take notice of slow pace of work on the Munarki, Surjani and Hilaya dykes. The negligence could prove fatal for Thatta population and the district government would not tolerate its consequences, he said.