Provincial initiatives: CM plans rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage

Survey and model study underway to increase water discharge capacity.

SUKKUR: Sukkur barrage is our agriculture’s backbone, making it a major asset for Sindh, said chief minister  Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday during a visit to the barrage. 

Shah said that a survey has been completed and the model study is underway to rehabilitate and modernise the barrage. He added that the network of Sukkar Barrage was vital for Sindh’s agriculture and the government’s aim was to increase the water discharge capacity and to modernise the barrage.

Consultants and irrigation experts, such as Idrees Rajput, had been taken on board to find a feasible solution to increase the barrage water discharge capacity to its original design of 1.5 million cusecs.

When the Sindh CM was questioned about the unfulfilled promises made by the last federal government to release funds for Sukkur Barrage, Shah said that he was hopeful that the current federal government was going to support this project.

The chief engineer of the barrage, Ahmed Junaid Memon, told the CM that the protective bunds were in good condition and heavy machinery had been deployed at the bunds in case of emergency. He also said that there was constant patrolling at the barrage to monitor the water level. He told the CM that the issue of water shortage in Balochistan has been resolved.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2013.