HYDERABAD, April 12: The chief engineer of the Kotri Barrage, Muhammad Izhar Khan, has expressed hope regarding better water availability in the wake of improved water flow in the Kotri upstream area, saying that currently 9,400 cusecs of water is available at the Kotri barrage, which is almost 50 per cent more than the quantity specified in the Water Accord.

He was speaking at a press conference at his office on Saturday.

He said that more than 40,000 cusecs of water was required to operate the Kotri Barrage’s canal system.

Earlier, he accused the Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority of mismanagement in water distribution in the Badin district which is fed from Akram Wah and New Phuleli.

He said that SIDA was trying to shift its responsibility to the irrigation department and was misguiding the growers.

Clarifying news reports pertaining to allegations levelled by growers and Nazims of the union councils of Badin taluka, Mr Khan said that Badin area fell under the Left Bank Area Water Board, which was controlling two canal systems — Phuleli Canal and the Akram Wah.

He said that both these canals had been transferred to SIDA on June 1, 2002 and the irrigation department had nothing to do with the distribution of water in the two canal systems.

He regretted that instead of solving problems of the local growers, SIDA was misguiding growers. Quoting figures, he said that the said canals were being supplied with more water than the specified quantity.

He said that the process of absorption of the irrigation department into SIDA would take time.

Mr Khan said that SIDA must address complaints to facilitate growers.