Washed away: Massive breach in Ghotki feeder

SUKKUR: Seven villages and acres of agricultural land were inundated when a 300-foot wide breach developed in the Ghotki feeder at RD-58 near Mureed Shaikh on Monday. The villagers affected by the breach, Shah Mohammad Bharo, Ghalib Kosh and Mohammad Nawaz Kosh, claim that they had informed the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) officials as soon as the breach had developed but their complaints had been ignored. “The breach was initially 40 feet wide but because our complaints went unattended it stretched to 300 feet,” they said. Sida director Anwar Sial claimed that the job required the use of heavy machinery. “We have sent our workers there and the breach should be fixed tonight,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2011.