Sindh government fails to demolish illegal protective dikes: flood-like situation likely in July

Despite an official report about possible flood-like situation in barrages of the province during the month of July, the Sindh irrigation department has yet to take action against illegal protective bunds built by influential Zamindars, it was learnt on Friday.
Recently, the federal and provincial governments shared reports that a flood-like-situation could emerge in barrages of Punjab and Sindh during the mid of July this year. On the basis of these reports, the authorities concerned were required to take precautionary measures to secure the villages located on both sides of the river.
According to legal experts, the bunds constructed by influential Zamindars are illegal, as these have been built in violation of the Irrigation Act 1887. During the last tenure of the Sindh government, the irrigation authorities had made attempts to remove these dikes but in vain.
Sources said that the decision was taken after the super floods in 2010 caused huge devastation. Had the illegal dikes not prevented the flood waters from entering the kacha areas, thousands of villages would have been saved from the devastation, they added.
"When the flood waters were overflowing nearby Dadu-Moro bridge during the floods in 2010 and Dadu city was under threat, the Jatoi brothers of Naushehro Feroze made a very small cut in their Ketti on the request of an influential person," the sources said adding that resultantly Dadu city was saved from floods devastation. Ketti is the name of a large area of land and the Jatoi brothers of National People's Party (NPP) possess Ketti with the name of 'Ketti Jatoi' in Naushehro Feroze district, which has been protected by building a strong bund.
A high official of the irrigation department told Business Recorder that there were many Ketties on both banks of the Indus River, which all had strong protective bunds. He said that the flood waters could not enter these Ketties due to strongly built dikes, resultantly the water changed its flow and enter the unprotected villages and towns.
Sources said that there was about two million acres of land in kacha areas of the province on the right and left banks of the Indus River, out of which 0.6 million acres was under the control of Forest department. Approximately, one and a half lakh acres of land under the control of Forest department had been given to influential landlords for 99 years on lease, while many landlords had also occupied a large area of the forest land, the sources claimed.
According to information collected by this correspondent, PML-N's Sheerazi brothers have Ketti in kacha area of Thatta district, which has been protected with a dike. In Khairpur Mir, there is a protective bund, which has been built by Kharl family, which is associated with PPP.
PML-N leader Sardar Mumtaz Bhutto's 'Ketti Mumtaz' is located in Larkana district. Chief of Hur Jamaat and Pakistan Muslim League Functional's (PML-F) Pir Pagara is also the owner of a Ketti in district Khairpur Mir's. In Larkana district, there are three more Ketties with the names of Khahrra Ketti, Bughia Ketti, Ketti of Sayals, owned by political bigwigs of PPP and other parties.
In Ghotki district, there is a Ketti namely Makhdoom's ketti, which has also a dyke. In addition, there are many other protective bunds, which have been built by the political bigwigs for the safety of their lands. The sources said that the owners of these Ketties had also constructed hunting places, swimming pools, bungalows, farm houses and other facilities in order to meet their luxury needs.