17 April 2005	Sunday	07 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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HYDERABAD, April 16: Sukkur Barrage chief engineer Mohammad Nawaz Memon has said 93 points of Sindh’ three barrages are vulnerable.

He told a news conference at his camp office here on Saturday that rehabilitation work of the Sukkur Barrage would be completed by April 30.

Earlier, Mr Memon presided over a meeting of officials of the irrigation department.

He said under direct instructions from Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari, a plan had been chalked out to eliminate water theft and discontinue water rotation programme.

He ruled out any rotation programme during the Kharif season and said water supply would be ensured to all tail-end farmers.

He made it clear that watercourse of a farmer who tried to steal water would be closed for one week under section 45 of the Irrigation Act. He added that if the same farmer was found involved in water theft again, not only his watercourse would be closed but severe action would also be taken against him under the law.

Mr Memon said in furtherance of this objective, committees had been constituted for various canals and added that irrigation officials had been issued strict instructions to stop water theft.

He said irrigation reforms were being carried out at a cost of Rs13 billion under the President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s programme for two years.

He said restoration work of a ditch in the right pocket of the Sukkur Barrage was being done under supervision of the Pakistan Army engineering corps.

Mr Memon said due to personal interest of President Musharraf, rehabilitation work of the Sukkur Barrage would be completed by April 30.

He said 70 years had passed since construction of the barrage and added that its life would be further increased by 70 years following its rehabilitation.

He said the barrage had 66 doors but since 1965, 10 doors had been lying closed as that area had turned into an island. He said a programme was being chalked out to eliminate this island and reopen the closed doors.

Mr Memon said for complete rehabilitation of the Sukkur Barrage, talks were in progress between the ministry of irrigation and the World Bank.

He expressed the hope that more funds would be made available to the irrigation ministry in the next budget.

He said original design of the Sukkur Barrage was aimed at accommodating 900,000 cusecs of water. He, however, said at one time 1,200,000 cusecs of water had flowed under the barrage. He expected 400,000 to 500,000 cusecs water in the barrage during the current year.

The barrage chief engineer said efforts were being made to strengthen vulnerable points of rivers and Rohri Canal embankments to protect them against breaches.

He conceded that some faults had been noticed in the telemetry system but the company which had installed the system was working to remove the defects.

He said a committee had also been constituted for designing of modules.

The executive engineer, Naseer division, Abdul Aziz Junejo, and other officials of the department were also present on the occasion.