Kotri Barrage is safe: Qaim

The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that Kotri Barrage is safe and strong enough to pass even above its designed discharge, while at present the floodwater is flowing below its designed discharge. He said that the embankments of the Indus River have also been made stronger to sustain the current flash flood and there is no threat of any inundation outside the river.
This he said while talking to the media men after taking briefing about Kotri Barrage at its Jamshoro office on Sunday. The Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Advisor to CM for Information Jameel Ahmed Soomro, Sindh Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Bhurgri, Sindh Minister for Special Education Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Riavi, Sindh Minister for Minority Affairs Mohin Lal, Senator Moula Bux Chandio, PPP Naib President Amanullah Siyal and other PPP local leaders were present on this occasion.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that Sindh has suffered a big loss and the losses, which occurred due to current flood, have not been witnessed even in the past. He said that velocity of flood damage has been reported as 875 miles till yet and the same is still continuing, as such the losses which have been sustained by Sindh were more as compared to other provinces.
He said that 3.7 million people so far have been suffered from this flood. He said that his government was giving priority to protect the lives and properties and cities of Sindh and added that all cabinet members of his government have been engaged and put in the field to combat with flood disaster and extend relief to the victims.
He said that Rs 10 billion for relief and Rs 400 million for adopting flood-fighting measures have already been earmarked. He said that government machinery and PPP workers were fully engaged to operate relief and rescue operations, consequently the people under threat were got shifted and they were being looked after at their relief camps properly.
He said that government has planned temporary rehabilitation of the displaced persons. He said that till that time, government has decided to provide Rs 20,000 each victim family in addition to relief, that was being provided to them at relief camps.
While responding about the embankment position, the Chief Minister Sindh said that he has taken briefing from Irrigation official about this question and whatever ground realities have been explained, the Kotri Barrage and its affiliated protective embankments were strong enough. However, he maintained that as many as 16 vulnerable points in downstream Kotri Barrage have been identified which were being attended by the Irrigation department and Sida properly. Earlier, the Chief Engineer Kotri Barrage Manzoor Shaikh while giving briefing to the Chief Minister about Kotri Barrage said that Kotri Barrage was safe and strong enough to pass the current flood flow easily. He estimated that current high flood could be increased up to 8,50,000 cusecs whereas the designed capacity of Kotri Barrage is 8,75,000 cusecs and it had passed water more than its capacity in the past.
During the briefing, the Senator Moula Bux Chandio complained that due to apathy of officers concerned, the lifting of sand and construction in the river bed was continued over years that according to him have posed threats to the embankments of the river and people residing outside the river. The Sindh Chief Minister asked him to submit his complaint in writing.
Later, the Sindh Chief Minister visited Ghalyan Bund, Bhanoth-T-Spur Bund and Bao-Dero Bund on the left bank of Indus river. The Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage Haroon Memon briefed the Sindh Chief Minister about embankments position and flood fighting measure being undertaken to protect the people from flood damage.