HYDERABAD: The Sindh irrigation department has set up a project management organisation (PMO) to meet World Bank’s funding conditions for a mega project pertaining to the rehabilitation of three barrages in Sindh.

Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) Managing Dir­ector Mohammad Ehsan Leghari has been posted as PMO’s head and Zahid Hussain Junejo, the project director of Sida’s Water Sector Improvement (WISP), has been given the charge of Sida MD.

The WB is to approve a soft loan for Guddu barrage’s rehabilitation. The barrage’s feasibility study has been completed and so is project’s concept note under which $160 million is to be provided to the Sindh government.

Negotiations have been completed for the loan, which is likely to be approved in a meeting of the WB’s board scheduled next month, according to some irrigation officials.

Officials say that the setting-up of the PMO is a step towards institutionalisation of the department. A proper team will be formed under the PMO to look after barrage rehabilitation works on a permanent basis.

They believe that 60-year-old Guddu barrage’s life would be extended by another 50 years post-rehabilitation. All of its gates are needed to be replaced and river training works are to be done. “Rehabilitation of the two barrages is aimed at achieving some goals.

“We needed $190 million, but $160 million is being negotiated with the WB. It has been okayed by Economic Affairs Division,” confirms Sindh irrigation secretary Babar Effendi.

He said the designed discharge capacity of the barrage — 1.2 million cusecs — would, however, remain unchanged. He said that shifting of the divide wall, a problem yet to be addressed, was to ensure proper supplies to the Ghotki feeder canal.

The rehabilitation project is aimed at ensuring sustainable and optimum supplies of irrigation water.

“These works will extend life of the barrage by another 50 years,” he confidently said.

The construction of Guddu barrage was started in 1957 and competed in 1962. It has three off-taking canals, two on its right bank and one on the left. The canals also feed areas of Balochistan whereas another canal, Rainee, is built by Wapda on the left bank of the barrage and is supposed to to be operated for flood water discharge. It has a discharge capacity of 5,155 cusec.

PMO head Ehsan Leghari said that floodwater management would see major changes and these works would lead to a better management control, besides ensuring sustainable water supplies. “The barrage structure is perfectly fine but gates are needed to be replaces. Thickness of the gates and off-taking canals has alarmingly reduced. If this problem is not addressed now, this may create serious issues,” he said.

Sukkur barrage

A study for the rehabilitation of Sukkur barrage, the lifeline of Sindh agriculture sector, is also under way.

Officials say the study is in its final stage as different models are being examined by irrigation officials.

Sukkur barrage is faced with the serious issue of silting in its right pocket which had previously led to the closure of 10 of its gates and a reduction of its discharge capacity to 900,000 cusec from 1.5 million cusec.

Sukkur barrage has completed its life span of 80 years and has been facing multifarious problems. Commissioned in 1932, the barrage’s work was started in July 1923. It is known to have the largest irrigation system in the world with the cultivable command area of 2.81 million hectares.

With seven off-taking canals, the barrage irrigates areas right up to the tail-end of Mirpurkhas district, bordering the Thar desert. During its 2004 annual closure, a large pit was discovered in front of its pier-1, 2 and 3 in the right pocket. Its rehabilitation was completed in May 2005.

The barrage successfully passed over 1.1 million cusec during the August 2010 super floods.

In reply to a question, Mr Effendi apprehended that the barrage might not regain its actual capacity of 1.5 million even after its rehabilitation.

“We want to somehow enhance its discharge capacity to 1.3-1.35 million cusec,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2014