HYDERABAD: Project consultants of the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida) have informed Sida and the Left Bank Canals Area Water Board (AWB) that the proposed rehabilitation of Akram Wah (lined channel) that feeds water-starved Badin faces multiple issues like encroachments and poor lining.

They wanted Sida and AWB to brief them about the actual design discharge of Akram Wah, its future expansion ne­e­ds and its operational and maintenance mechanism so that it could be evaluated before the project to be fun­ded by a foreign bank got under way.

A consultant of UK-based Mott McDonald Ltd, Mahe Mahendrajah, gave a presentation to the Sida and AWB managements at the main Sida secretariat recently and said that most encroachments were removed during operation, but it was still an issue.

Akram Wah’s rehabilitation was bei­ng planned under the Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT). Sida’s Managing Director Wali Moham­mad Naich, AWB chairman Qabool Khatian and director Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, project director Jamal Mangan, Sida’s general managers Jairam Bhatia and Ehsan Leghari and others were present at the presentation.

The 76.5 mile-long perennial canal, that takes off from Kotri Barrage on its left bank, meets the drinking water needs of fast-expanding Hyderabad city and feeds Tando Mohammad Khan and Badin districts. Badin district has been facing serious water issues.

Akram Wah is considered lifeline for Badin and Tando Mohammad Khan to meet their drinking water needs. RD-0 to RD-110 is concrete lined and RD-130 to RD-192 is brick lined while the rest of the canal from RD-191.8 to RD-382.8 remains unlined and concrete lining from RD-131.6 to RD-193.8 is in very poor condition.

The project consultants shared findings of their study on the canal, mentioning that RD-4 to RD-110 were completely lined and the strip was hit by multiple issues like encroachments. Also, it passes through main points of Hyderabad city that is having growing population. Several roads and bridges are located between these reaches. It was mentioned that “lining” of canal is in poor condition and structure needs rehabilitation and replacement. Its head regulator was choked which badly needs attention.

According to the focal person of the AWB, the consultants told Sida and AWB officials that they would have to address issues of resettlement because the donor agency was very much concerned about the resettlement plan. Sida must be aware of the fact that lined channel meets Hyderabad’s drinking water needs and it also supplies water to SITE area and during rehabilitation those facilities might be affected. Therefore, the authority must have some back-up plan as well.

The consultants said Sida would have to share actual design discharge of the canal because different discharge figures were available about the canal. According to one source, its designed discharge is 4,000 cusecs as per 1991 Water Apportionment Accord; canal’s completion report said it is 3,713 cusecs; data board of canal shows it has a discharge of 4,100 cusecs and AWB claims it has 4,300 cusecs discharge. “So which one is correct”, remarked the official who gave presentation to officials.

The AWB was told that it should hold it meeting and come up with accurate figure of designed discharge. It was also mentioned that its discharge capacity has been affected while it also feeds non-perennial Phuleli Canal that also goes to Badin district.

The project consultants wanted to know whether Sida wanted 15pc or 20pc enhancement in its water carrying capacity and such decision should be properly communicated to the consulting firm.

The consultants said Sida must be aware of controversy seen in sill levels of Phuleli, therefore Sida would have to decide about levels of canals or if some changes were required.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2020