KARACHI, June 14: The Sindh government has decided to construct small dams in Karachi and other water-deficient areas of the province to collect and preserve rainwater and use it for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Chairing a high-level meeting held at the Chief Minister's House, Arbab Rahim ordered construction of small dams in the arid areas of the province to store rainwater. He said that building small dams in Karachi, Dadu, Jamshoro, Thatta, Kambar and Nagarparkar to store rainwater was inevitable.

He said that in the first phase small dams would be constructed in arid zones of Nagarparkar and Kohistan, to irrigate 77,000 acres of land – 36,550 acres in Kohistan and 40,000 acres in Nagarparkar. These dams would also provide drinking water to 0.2 million people and their livestock. Besides, he said that the dams would raise water table in these areas which would benefit the crops.

He said that in Nagarparkar small dams should be built at Bhutiani, Muljee, Madro, Sordhun, Kaboso and other areas, while in Kohistan small dams could be constructed at Nai Gaj, Nai Sun, Nai Baran, Ranikote, Salari, Moolan and Kandro. He said that he would visit arid areas of the province to inspect the sites of small dams.

The chief minister e said that Sindh was agriculture-based province, where it was dire need to preserve water resources. He said that a Small Dam Organisation comprising technical experts should be set up. He said that the Sehwan Barrage Scheme would soon be launched.

Arbab Rahim said that the British rulers, some half century ago, worked with dedication and gave the area the best irrigation system of the world. He said that the fruit of their efforts was before us in the shape of the Sukkur Barrage. He asked the officials of the irrigation department to work hard with a missionary zeal. He said that advice from local people should also be sought regarding building small dams and matched with technical data before finalising feasibility of dam projects.

He asked the officials to prepare feasibility of building small dams over Khadeji and Moolan rivulets on emergency basis. He said that various districts of the province had natural rivulets and rainwater streams where small dams could be constructed to facilitate the area people.

The chief minister also took notice of discharge of the contamination of water into the Manchar Lake and sought a report in this regard from Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage.

Sindh Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Ghulam Sarwar Khero, Sindh Irrigation Secretary Shujja Junejo, Principal Secretary Muhammad Ayub Shaikh and experts of irrigation and water were present.

ARREST ORDERED: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Wednesday took a serious notice of razing historical graves of fishermen near Gulbai and asked DCO for their immediate repair, along with a protective grill around them.

He issued orders of arrest of those involved in this incident. He said that all historical sites in the whole province would be protected. He said that safeguarding cultural heritage and historical places was the responsibility of the government and no leniency would be tolerated in this regard.—PPI