'Diehard' irrigation department: over 2,000 tubewells out of order

More than 2,000 tubewells out of total 5,600 installed, have gone out of order, Business Recorder learnt here on Saturday. Well-informed sources at the SCARP Division of Irrigation Department told BR that overall some 5,600 tubewells with varying design discharge, ranging from 1.0 cusec to 5.0 cusecs, were installed to control water table. These tubewells are for saline as well as fresh water, according to official documents obtained by Business Recorder.
All the tubewells were operated on electricity but, according to the information available, over 2,000 tubewells are not functioning at present because of different reasons, ie, vandalising of electric components, theft of electric transmission lines and bore failure. These tubewells are needed badly by local farmers to irrigate their land, and to control waterlogging and salinity from their respective areas, they said.
President Asif Zardari, in various discussions, had desired to convert tubewells on solar power to combat the present energy crisis. Looking to the public demand and prevailing energy crisis in the country, the government seems highly inclined to change its energy profile to include renewable energy resources that are widely used all over the world, they said.
Solar tube wells will be most economical, requiring less maintenance, providing uninterrupted operation and saving electricity that could then be utilised for other purposes, sources added. The PC1 of the said scheme costing Rs 1873.383 million was discussed at the technical committee meeting held a few months back in P&D Department wherein following decisions were taken:
(i) The administrative department would initiate a summary for approval of CM Sindh, with scheme's cost being above Rs 200 million prior to PDWP consideration. (ii) The scheme was cleared for PDWP subject to cost rationalisation and modification of the scheme in light of the discussion held during the meeting. Funding of scheme would be either from federal government or from Out-Side Water Budget as Non-ADP. In the light of decision of technical committee, Chief Minister Sindh was requested to allow processing and execution of the scheme with funding from outside the budget.
Moreover, the sources said it was apprising to note that there were 2,398 tubewells in the limits of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) with varying design discharge ranging from 1.0 cusec to 5.0 cusecs for controlling water table. All these tubewells are operated on electricity.