HYDERABAD: The irrigation authorities are conceiving a Rs4 billion scheme to revive the old natural waterways (called ‘dhoras’ in local parlance) in the lower Sindh region to ward off floods or related natural disasters. But they seem to be facing financial problem in executing the plan in one go.

At the moment, the scheme’s project cost-I (PC-I) for phase-II is being prepared as the phase-I is near completion. The phase-I and II works had become necessary following the 2011 heavy downpour that had caused serious damage to the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) as water overtopped its banks in different areas.

Rainwater that accumulated in different areas due to blockage of old and natural waterways had become a serious threat to farmlands located within its vicinity. These waterways otherwise used to carry rain/floodwater to Arabian Sea and their revival could ensure its safe passage. Over the years, waterways had been encroached upon. Encroachers built their settlements, cultivated crops and even established orchards.

“It needs Rs50 billion if we go for all these works in one go so we are bifurcating works in two phases to have cash flows through budgetary allocations from government,” said an irrigation official who is aware of the developments relating to the works. “We will go with a modular approach for such works given nature of finances availability,” he said.

Two years back heavy rains caused colossal monetary losses to the agriculture and irrigation sectors in the lower Sindh region. Standing cotton crop was destroyed though Sindh was otherwise likely to have a bumper crop.

LBOD recorded major damage as rainwater overtopped it. Not only this, but farmers also caused cuts in its banks at different places to dewater their lands.

In the initial phase, the irrigation authorities rehabilitated LBOD through its re-sectioning and raising of its banks’ heights.

LBOD has been controversial in view of it behaviour especially during rains. Backflow of water in the drain caused massive damage in areas of Badin district where it meets the Arabian Sea and its outfall system causes most problems in the past.

“The government has planned restoration of old and natural waterways that can help offload pressure on LBOD as well. It will then be easier to handle flows of drain water into the LBOD. Badin will largely remain safe in that case,” said the official. He added that revival of dhoras and amalgamating other areas in the drainage network coverage would make things easier.

Plan to protect Badin

According to Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) managing director Mohammad Ehsan Leghari, after the proposed offloading of LBOD at different areas, it will not have that much quantum of water to pose a threat to Badin. “What we are planning is that LBOD should be offloaded through Dhoro Puran (an old natural waterway in Mirpurkhas district) which gets water from different areas. Likewise, Hakro waterway will be diverted to Puran dhoro for its ultimate disposal into the sea,” said Mr Leghari.

Official sources said that for offloading LBOD at least three to four such sites were identified where such rainwater could be diverted to. These sites are likely to offload a pressure of 3,000 cusecs each if properly worked out.

In the first phase of works around Rs3.5 billion are being spent on works of emergent nature while PC-I of Rs4 billion is also under way. Reports indicate that provincial budget 2013-14 has an allocation of Rs5 billion and government plans to make more allocations of Rs9-10 billion in the 2014-15 budget as well.

“Yes, finances issues are there but we are working on it. A consortium of local banks can be formed to arrange loans as well for financing these works. Likewise, we can hire foreign firms to execute the works,” said Taj Haider, Sindh PPP general secretary. He is supervising the works under instructions from PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. “There is a problem of capacity on the part of contractors. It is believed that we need around 85 contractors who must have the capacity to provide the required machineries,” he said.

So, he continued, these issues are being tackled. He said a dhoro area, called ‘Sarfaraz’, in Digri had been rehabilitated and likewise Faqir dhoro was also revived. He said that a siphon was given underneath the Mirpurkhas Main Drain (MMD) for Sarfaraz dhoro which would take it to Puran dhoro. He believed that capacity of LBOD has been increased due to dredging and de-weeding.

Mr Leghari was of the view that these works were aimed at bringing those areas under drainage coverage that otherwise lacked such facility. “The areas are parts of Sanghar, Umerkot and Mirpurkhas districts,” he said, adding that some parts of Tharparkar near Badin were to be connected with such a system. “So these will become an integrated drainage network once the works are executed,” said Mr Leghari.

The Sindh government had introduced anti-encroachment legislation after 2011 heavy rains. But this law has not been invoked yet and settlements on natural waterways remain intact. For instance the natural waterway faced serious obstruction near Jhuddo city due to such bottlenecks.

But Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) president Abdul Majeed Nizamani is dissatisfied with the phase-I works that are near completion. He said that Puran dhoro faces obstructions at three different locations like Jhuddo city, Hayat Bagh near Naukot and settlement.

“If irrigation authorities start working upstream with heavy machinery to clear blockade there, the encroachers will have to leave because in case of heavy rains they will be directly exposed to the threat of floods,” he said. He said Puran dhoro alone has the capacity of 20,000 cusec.

“If this waterway is efficiently rehabilitated then it will be of great help in case of heavy rains in this lower part of Sindh”, he said.