HYDERABAD: A new gate, installed on the Sukkur Barrage on Saturday, is on a test run currently and will be opened by the Sindh irrigation authorities for downstream flow of Indus waters once the process is completed satisfactorily, officials said.

The Gate-47 was installed in parts manufactured by the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW) on an emergency basis after its upper portion was washed away by the gushing waters on June 20.

Six other gates were damaged.

Only after the damaged gates are replaced or repaired the supply to right bank canals including one that feeds Balochistan will be normalised.

“We are testing Gate-47. We have checked the gate’s lifting and lowering process in presence of the irrigation minister Jam Khan Shoro. Still, it is under the test run,” said Irrigation Secretary Zarif Iqbal Khero. Therefore, he added, the caisson gate upstream and cofferdam downstream Gate-47were not removed as yet.

A couple of more gates still need attention; work being carried out by local and foreign experts; damage had led to disruption of water supply to Balochistan

The caisson gate and cofferdam were made available to remove the remainder of Gate-47 in the fourth week of June. The KS&EW had promised to supply the new gate by July 20.

In view of the damage to other gates, engineers also discussed the possibility of replacing Gate-44 which was affected badly on June 20.

The authorities were of the view that replacing Gate-44 would need three gates each being lowered to zero level on its right and left sides. Besides, a cofferdam would also need to be built downstream Gate-44.

This proposal was also discussed with foreign experts, including a British expert, besides Chinese engineers from a firm working at the barrage under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Programme (SBIP). It is still under discussion.

Mr Zarif said the KS&EW had already started manufacturing Gate-44 to replace the one damaged on June 20.

According to SBIP project chief Mohiuddin Mughal, the weight of Gate-47 is around 50 tonnes against its previous weight of 45 tonnes.

“Similarly, the counterweight with the old gate had a weight of 80 tonnes. Since the new gate’s weight has increased to 50 tonnes, the counterweight’s weight has also been raised accordingly from 80 tonnes to 90 tonnes,” he explained.

Gate-36 replaced last month is already under a trial run by the Chinese firm.

Six gates (31, 33, 34, 35, 39 & 40) were manufactured and installed by the KS&EW till early last year, the SBIP chief said, adding that Gate-47 would again be replaced under the project.

The process for replacement of 17 gates in first phase under the project would begin in December and was likely to be completed by May-June next year.

Damages to the gates have led the authorities to ensure the barrage operates as safe as possible, forcing them to keep the pond level in safer limits. This, however, has led to discord between Balochistan and Sindh.

Sukkur Barrage is a source of irrigation water supply to Balochistan in addition to Guddu Barrage. The barrage’s right side North Western Canal (NWC) provides water to Balochistan.

A delegation of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), led by its chairman Abdul Hameed Mengal, visited the barrage on July 8 and held a meeting with the barrage authorities to seek one-third share of Balochistan from the available water at the barrage.

A certain pond level was achieved to feed right side canals, including NWC. But Sindh irrigation authorities, after the June 20 incident, were maintaining the pond level cautiously to avoid any pressure on the barrage’s gates.

Irsa had claimed that the chief engineer of Sukkur Barrage had agreed to raise the pond at the desired level. However, CE Mansoor Memon rebutted the claim that he had promised to ensure the pond level above 199 by putting wooden planks at the gates. Currently, invariably a level of 198 or 199 was being maintained.

Inquiry into damage

An inquiry into the June 20 damages has not yet been completed by the technical inquiry team, appointed by the irrigation secretary.

The team is said to have held its proceedings but it is yet to come up with its findings and recommendations. Since then Sukkur Barrage chief engineer, Sohail Hameed Baloch, superintending engineer, Fayyaz Shah, executive engineer Ali Shah and assistant executive engineer Ameer Bux Mahar have been removed. At present, Mansoor Memon, chief engineer development region-I, is holding charge of the Sukkur Barrage chief engineer’s office.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2024