SUKKUR, July 27: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has ordered seizure of the record pertaining to recent repair work on the Sukkur Barrage and a high-level inquiry to determine the causes of lapses and negligence of officials.

During a briefing at the office of the executive engineer, Sukkur Barrage, on Tuesday, Dr Rahim said there would be no compromise on the safety of the barrage. He warned irrigation department officials that such lapses would not be tolerated and those found responsible for the negligence would be taken to task.

Talking to journalists after the briefing, he said the Sukkur Barrage was a major source of agricultural economy of Sindh and damages to its structure would cause a huge loss to the province.

He regretted that instead of taking a prompt action on his information in 2002, irrigation officials concerned, especially the former executive engineer and the SDO of the Sukkur Barrage, adopted negligent attitude due to which the damage to the barrage structure widened in 2004.

He said he had also announced a cash reward for a soundings attendant, Mohammad Hussain, of the barrage, for information about a hole in the barrage but the officials had not paid heed to it.

Blaming the officials for the situation, he said they had failed to ensure proper repair of the barrage. Earlier, in his briefing, the Sindh additional secretary for irrigation, Khadim Memon, said a hole, having 80 feet length, 120 feet width and 19 feet depth, had been found in the barrage, which irrigated 8.24 million acres of land, in January during its annual inspection.

He said the Sindh government had then formed a technical committee, with A. N. G. Abbasi as its chairman, which recommended repair of the barrage. Later, talking to journalists, Dr Rahim gave some details of the recent chief ministers' meeting in Islamabad.

He said the meeting had agreed to implement the 1991 water accord. He said he was personally grateful to Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Ellahi and Prime Minister Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain for their assurance that Sindh's requirements, including water, would be met. He said he had assured them that Sindh was ready to share the water shortage.

Dr Rahim said he would write a letter to the Punjab chief minister to implement decisions taken at the meeting. He said Sindh faced 20 to 27 per cent water shortage in previous years but the present water shortage ranged from 31 to 54 per cent.

He said the shortage would be met by proper management of water, lining of watercourses and controlling water theft. He said efforts would be made to improve performance of the irrigation department, which was in a shambles.

Meanwhile, the chief minister, accompanied by Sindh Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Laghari, IGP Syed Kamal Shah and other officers, visited the Sukkur central jail-I. He directed the jail superintendent to provide facilities to prisoners according to the jail manual.

Our Larkana Correspondent adds: The chief minister was briefed by Sukkur DPO Shabir Ahmad Shaikh about the ongoing operation against bandits in Shah Belo. The DPO said 22 bandits had been killed in the operation.

On this occasion, Dr Rahim announced Rs1 million for the police force, a primary school and provision of electricity to the Kalo Kadrani village. The chief minister also took an aerial view of the Shah Belo operation.