The Sindh government would seek Rs 3 billion, around Rs 2,810 million more than allocated by the federal government, for rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage. PC-I has been prepared and would be sent to Islamabad for approval sometime by the end of this month (November), official sources in Irrigation and Power Department, Government of Sindh told Business Recorder on Wednesday.
"The federal government has allocated around Rs 190 million in the budget 2007-08 under PSDP (public sector development programme) for rehabilitation of Sukkur barrage but our consultant has estimated cost of the project at Rs 3 billion", they added.
They said that the Sindh government would have to convince the federal government for release of the estimated additional Rs 2810 million. "Looking at importance of Sukkur barrage for the irrigation system of the Sindh province we are quite optimistic that the federal government would okay the requisition", sources hoped. About completion of the project, sources said that the project would be completed within two years of its start up date.
The project would be undertaken by a joint venture led by the National Development Constructors (NDC), they added. "Start of work on the project is subject to an approval and release of funds by the federal government", sources clarified.
They said that an overall rehabilitation of the barrage, which was the first ever river barrier constructed by British colonialists on the River Indus in 1933, would be ensured.
"The life of the barrage would be prolonged for the next 70 to 80 years after rehabilitation and it would be made stronger than ever before", sources claimed. The Sukkur barrage, which is the backbone of Sindh's agriculture sector, irrigates around 7 million acres land of the thirsty province, the sources informed.
"Through seven canals Sukkur barrage supply around 65000 cusecs water to the major crops of Sindh including cotton, wheat, rice and the minor crops like mango, kinnow, red chili etc", they said.
"Any damage to the barrage, (which is one of the world's largest artificial irrigation systems, is very old and now needs to be reconstructed), God forbid, may jeopardise the country's agricultural growth as major crops mainly rely on it for irrigation water", they warned.
Other two major source of irrigation water in Sindh are Kotri and Guddu barrages, which were constructed in 1956 and 1965 and supply 40,000 and 35,000 cusecs irrigation water to the province respectively, they said.