Damaged Indus, non-Indus dykes: no proper strategy to deal with monsoon rains

Despite forecast of monsoon rains by MET Office repeatedly, Sindh Irrigation Department failed to complete rehabilitation assignment of Indus and non-Indus dykes, which were damaged in 2010 Floods, Business Recorder learnt here on Tuesday.
In 2011, Irrigation Department had announced that work of 41 schemes of rehabilitation of flood-damaged dykes would be completed till May 31, but they could not complete schemes till the passage of even May 2012. MET Office is repeatedly issuing forecasts that monsoon rains would occur in country including Sindh while NDMA had also warned all provinces to prepare for heavy rains again in this monsoon season.
Informed sources familiar with this development told Business Recorder that Irrigation Department through Economic Affairs Division (Federal government) had received loan of 405 million dollars from Asian Development Bank only for the purpose of rehabilitation of Indus and non-Indus dykes.
According to documents obtained by Business Recorder, Irrigation department had to rehabilitate Gorhaghat-Tori-Makhwani link Bund from mile 0/0 to 3/0 (first defence line at Tori Bund connecting Gotrhaghat to Tori and Makhwani Bund) in Kasmore-Kandhkot, Qadirpur loop Bund in Ghotki-Mirpur, M S Bund from mile 34.6 to 55.4 in Thatta, P B Bund, KBF Upper (River Bund from RD 35.0 to 145.0) in Jamshoro-Thatta, Manchhar Containing Bank from RD 0 to 100 in Jamshoro-Dadu, S H Bund from mile 0/0 to 3/2 R/S, Bahar Bund from mile 0/0 to 2/2, Hillaya Bund from mile 0/0 to 0/6 in Thatta, Surjani Bund mile 0/0 to 1/7 in Thatta, Bandar walls and Bunds in Barrage division of Sukkkur, Aqil Loop Bund Mile 2/0 to 2/5 in Larkana and Larkana-Sehwan Bund from mile 77/2 to 102/0 in Jamshoro-Dadu.
The Department had to rehabilitate S M bund mile 0/5 to 2/4, front Bund mile 0/0 to 3/, S M Bund mile 7/4 to 8/4, L S Bund mile 40/0 to 42/0 and 45/0 to 46/0, 51/0 to 52/0 and RD 54/0 to 57/1, 61/0 to 63/0 and 64/0 to 65/0 and 74/4 to 78/5 in Khauirpur-Naushehroferoze, Suprio Bund RD 0 to 95 in Dadu, Danstar Head Regulator in Jamshoro, F P Bund RD 0 to 220 in Dadu and F P Bund RD 346 to 395 (Hamal Lake portion) in Qambar-Shahdadkot.
Besides, Irrigation Department had to rehabilitate left Marginal Bund of Rahimyar Khan-Rajanpur, K K Bund mile 10/0 to 14/3 and diaphragm wall in Kasmore-Kandhkot, Kashmore Bund from mile 19/2 to 21/6, Baiji Bund, L M Bund (old) in Ghotki-Mirpur, Ghallian front Bund mile 0/0 to 12/7 in Hyderabad and H P Bund mile 0/0 to 20/0 in Tando Mohammad Khan.
In this connection, a high level official of Irrigation department on condition of anonymity told Business Recorder that Irrigation experts engaged in the rehabilitation of flood-damaged dykes were still working on this assignment and the work on almost all dykes would be completed in August 2012. He said that everybody knew that people living in suburbs of dykes were worried due to forecasts of MET Office but the department was trying to save the lives of people in case heavy rains would be occurred in this monsoon season.