SUKKUR, Jan 25: Tenders have been called from Dutch and other foreign companies for repairing cracks on the structure of the Sukkur Barrage, irrigation authorities told this correspondent on Sunday.

They said that experts from the Netherlands accompanied by Sindh irrigation secretary Bashir Dahar inspected the barrage. The experts were of the view that the repair work would take a long time and required other works besides laying concrete to strengthen the base of the barrage.

The authorities said that stone dumping would be completed till tomorrow but the stones alone could not resist water current therefore laying concrete was needed to strengthen the base.

Sukkur Barrage Assistant Engineer Aziz Soomro said that water level had risen in the Indus river and the off-taking canals had been opened except the Rice and Rohri canals which were still being desilted. He said that water level in the Dadu Canal was eight feet, NWF Canal nine feet, Nara canal 4.5 feet and Khairpur West canal six feet.