HYDERABAD: Asian Development Bank has approved Rs20 billion loans for reinforcement work of the Indus River embankments and irrigation infrastructure in Sindh. Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo said this Sunday while addressing a press conference after conducting visit of left bank embankments from Ghalyani Bund to Latifabad along with media.
"Foreign Ministry of Pakistan is seeking help from the British Government for enhancing the capacity of Sukkur Barrage because 80 years back it was them who had made the barrage's design," Dharejo said.
The minister said that Guddu and Sukkur barrages bear the worst pressure of floodwater during the flood situation; therefore, the government was planning to fortify the two barrages while expanding the capacity of the latter, which was the backbone of agricultural economy in Sindh.
According to him, the irrigation department had completed the rehabilitation work in 95 percent of the flood affected areas while 35 percent of the damaged levees of Indus had also been repaired. "We started the repair and reconstruction of the damaged Indus embankments from Feb 17, 2011, and the work is slated completed by May 2011," he added. He denied of accusing the federal government for discriminating in the release of funds between Sindh and Punjab.
"Punjab Government has completed rehabilitation work in one of its flood affected districts by spending one billion rupees more than the Sindh Government's Rs2.5 billion, spent so far in the process," he added. The minister told that the province was yet to receive from Rs5 billion pledged by the federal government.
Dharejo warned the builders who illegally occupy the riverbed and announce housing schemes there to desist from the activity and also advised people to thoroughly check the registration and survey numbers of the schemes before booking a unit. He directed DCO Hyderabad Aftab Ahmed Khatri to immediately take action against the residential schemes planned in the riverbed.
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