HYDERABAD: The technical committee of Sindh government’s planning & development department has accorded its approval to the Rs41bn scheme pertaining to the lining of Kalri Baghar (KB) Feeder to save water for Karachi’s Greater Water Supply Project (K-IV).

The scheme has to be administratively approved now by another P&D committee, according to officials of the irrigation and Kotri Barrage.

The KB Feeder provides water to Keenjhar Lake in Thatta. The lining of the 38-mile-long feeder that offtakes from Kotri Barrage on its right side would save around 500 cusecs. The project also includes other components in the structures of the KB Feeder, like gates at some locations and a bridge over the canal.

The feeder is a perennial canal that serves as the main source of drinking water for Karachi metropolis in addition to the Hub dam. At Keenjhar Lake, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) lifts water through Keenjhar-Gujjo canal for its system.

“KB feeder is currently ensuring 1,200 cusecs against the city’s actual need of 2,400 cusecs without fail. The lining of canal will increase the total quantum to 1,700 cusecs in the first phase of K-IV,” said Kotri Barrage chief engineer Haji Khan Jamali after last month’s technical approval of the scheme that was to be sent to federal government.

“Federal government has committed to share 80pc cost of this scheme pertaining to K-IV and 20pc cost will be borne by Sindh government,” he said. He added that the scheme is to become part of federal government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) after a final approval from federal forums.

Kotri Barrage remains a dependable source of water for the provincial capital. The present supply of 1,200 cusecs for Karachi is an increased quantum of water against its allocated share of 520 cusecs.

According to Mr Jamali, K-IV will get another 700 cusecs in phase-II of the project. This quantum will also be saved by lining two more canals of the barrage — Phulelli and Pinyari [both left bank canals]. The irrigation expert, however, recalls that Sindh is currently supplying 1,200 cusecs to Karachi out of its provincial share given under Water Apportionment Accord 1991. This 1,200 cusecs is over and above what is envisaged in Accord 1991 for Karachi’s urban and industrial usages.

“The very Water Accord envisages 520 cusecs of water for Karachi in the May-Oct period and another 450 cusec in the Nov-April period on an average,” he said. He noted that it was primarily federal, not Sindh, government that had to ensure supplies for K-IV, which is supposed to meet drinking water needs of Karachi till 2025. “But what after 2025? This question is also to be decided by federal government right now given changing weather pattern and unreliable flows,” the expert wondered.

The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has already declined Sindh government’s request for the provision of this additional water to Karachi,” said CE Jamali, who is part of the technical team that is engaged in technical deliberations with Wapda regarding proposed construction of Sindh barrage in Thatta post Kotri. Sindh is not agreeing to it.

It was then Sindh irrigation secretary Babar Effendi, who had proposed that additional supply of water to Karachi could be met by way of lining of Kotri Barrage’s three canals. The study for lining of KB Feeder was done by the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak).

CE Jamali was of the view that another scheme was under consideration to ensure committed water supply for K-IV because Indus river did not have required flows in the months other than June-Sept period. This scheme pertains to storage of water.

Sindh wants assured flows for K-IV from Irsa, which is not agreeing to it, according to an irrigation officer. Therefore, he says, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah is going to move the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on this pertinent question.

“If river Indus doesn’t have water allocations then how this assured supply for K-IV is to be ensured. The mighty Indus through Kotri Barrage also supplies water to Thatta city that feeds Karachi in terms of food security that again involves question of water availability,” he said.

“We need allocation for meeting overall supplies of water for Karachi as well as Thatta. In view of interprovincial water issues, Sindh is already at receiving end and cries for a judicious distribution of water thus such flows are to be committed by Irsa,” he opined.

A summary for CCI on this question of seeking allocated flows for Karachi is being drafted, according to a government source.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2021