CM visits Upper Sindh: Shah dissatisfied with protective measures for flood

Shah said 'super-flood' of 2010 had proved disastrous, but the volume of water expected this year was far less.

SUKKUR:

Visiting the Katcho Bhindi protective embankment in Ghotki on Wednesday, Sindh chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah expressed his dissatisfaction with the preparations for the expected flood in Sindh.

Holding the provincial irrigation secretary and the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) director responsible for negligence, he gave orders for the embankment to be further strengthened within four days. He also asked elected officials to visit the protective embankments and monitor the performance of the irrigation officials.

Talking to the media at Ulra Jageer embankment in Khairpur district, Shah said that the 'super-flood' of 2010 had proved disastrous for Sindh, but the volume of water expected this year was far less. However, he also directed the district administration to evacuate the 'katcha' (riverbed) communities, cautioning them to establish the relief camps at some distance from the embankments, thereby allowing the irrigation officials to work without any hindrance.

Meanwhile, Sukkur barrage chief engineer Ahmed Junaid Memon told the CM that more than 150,000 'katcha' residents from Khairpur, Kingri, Gambat and Sobho Dero talukas would be affected by the flood. He added that the law and order situation prevented the irrigation officials from patrolling the embankments freely and requested the establishment of police pickets for their protection.

Shah later flew to Kandhkot, visiting the Tori embankment complex. Guddu barrage chief engineer Dhano Mal informed him that this was being reinforced with stone-pitching at the cost of Rs150 million, adding that it could withstand 700,000 to 800,000 cusecs of water. However, the CM was reportedly displeased with the slow pace of the reinforcements. Sources further said that the old Tori embankment is very vulnerable and the pitching work is unsatisfactory.

The water level at Guddu barrage has started to rise. However, irrigation officials believe that the volume of water expected to enter Sindh will pass without much harm, only inundating the 'katcha' areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2014.