KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday presided over a meeting on the draining out of flood and rainwater from cities, towns, and farmlands and directed the irrigation department to ensure the draining out rainwater by the end of October so that displaced people could be sent back to their homes and inundated farmlands could be prepared for sowing early and late varieties of Rabi crop.

The government is working day and night to ensure sowing of Rabi crops, particularly wheat, to avoid a famine-like situation next year, he said.

Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro briefing the chief minister said that River Indus was flowing normally at Guddu, Sukkur, and Kotri barrages.

He said that Manchhar Lake has also shown a reduction of water by 5.95 feet. Similarly, the water level at Dadu-Moro Bridge showed a reduction of 11 feet.

He said that the water level has also reduced along FP Bund ranging from 8.5 feet to 11.5 feet in the upper reach of Saifullah and Rice Canal Division, whereas 5 to 8 feet in the lower reach of Southern Dadu Division.

He said that the water level along Suprio embankment has also reduced by about 6 to 7 ft. Reduction along MNV at RD-194 is about 4.2 ft, at RD 210 is about 3.5 ft and at RD-346 is about 11.4 ft. The water level has reduced from 5.85 feet to 2 feet along KN Shah to Dadu Road.

Talking about the current situation of inundation on the right side of the Sukkur barrage, the minister of irrigation said that the water level reduction at Johi Branch, RD-67 (KN Shah Dadu Road) has been recorded at 6.2 ft. The breach at FP Bund at RD-169 (Chukhi) and the breach of 600 feet at RD-224 IP Side Saifullah Magsi Branch have been plugged. He said that closing work of cut at Manchhar Lake RD-14 is in progress.

During the online discussion, Zarif Iqbal Khero, Chief engineer Development-II told that water was receding from LBOD Spinal smoothly at about 1-2 decimals a day. The meeting was told that waterway has been given to Hakro Dhoro to join Dhoro Puran at RD 211.

The CM directed that all measures should be taken to close the remnant part of a breach in Dhoro Puran across Jhudo city.

The chief minister directed the irrigation department to clear the Roshanabad Bridge, district Mirpurkhas within the next four days so that it could be used for vehicular traffic. He also directed the chief secretary to take NHA on board for clearing the Indus Highway at Toll Plaza.

Shah directed the irrigation department to lay pipes under the road for smooth flow of water.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022