Manchhar Lake Water Release Committee at a meeting held here on Monday has decided to release 1.5 percent water of Manchhar Lake into the River Indus to protect any breaches in the lake. District nazim Hyderabad, Kanwar Naveed Jamil presided over the meeting.
The decision to this effect was taken in view of the pressure on Manchhar Lake due to recent rains and inflow of water from the mountain areas. The meeting, however, further decided that after release of water from Manchhar Lake, the quality of Indus' water would be checked at several places every four hour to ensure that safe water was being provided to the people. It was also decided that if the quality of water were found substandard, the quantity of water released from Manchhar Lake would either be reduced or totally stopped, as the exigencies demanded.
The district nazim directed Water and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to store water in its reservoirs within the next 48 hours which could last for three days before any water was released downstream Kotri. He further directed to keep the water pumps and generators functional at all the water works and pumping stations to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the citizens.
Kanwar Naveed Jamil recalled that the situation was not as grave as it was in 2004, when the release of water from Manchhar Lake had proved extremely detrimental. Nevertheless, he added, prevention was better than cure.
He said that on Monday between 150,000 to 200,000 cusecs water was being released from Sukkur Barrage whereas in 2004, only few thousands cusecs of water was available in River Indus. He said, it had therefore, been decided to release only 2000 cusecs of water from Manchhar Lake if 100,00 cusecs of water were released from Sukkur Barrage. He said, this decision had been taken in view of the report of experts, which was despatched by the Hyderabad district government to Manchhar Lake.
Speaking on the occasion, chief engineer Sukkur Barrage, right bank, Atta Mohammad Soomro said that following recent rains and mountainous water, the Nai Gaj water level was increasing by three feet daily as a result of which the water level at Manchhar had increased to 110-feet.
He said, this was only two feet less than the dangerous point of 112-feet. Under the circumstances, he said, it had become inevitable to release water from Manchhar Lake into Indus to protect the lake. He said, after few days, it would not be possible to release any water from Manchhar Lake due to flood in the Indus.
Chief engineer Kotri Barrage, Manzoor Shaikh informed the meeting that within the next 4 to 5 days, the water level at Sukkur Barrage was likely to exceed 600,000 cusecs and therefore it had become necessary to release water from Manchhar Lake now.
The water technologist appointed by the district government Hyderabad, Dr Ahsan Siddiqui told the meeting that according to the analysis, the quality of Manchhar Lake water was more inferior that it was in 2004. Therefore, he said, the discharge of only 1.5 percent was considered safe. The officers of the district government attended the meeting.
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