HYDERABAD: Water from Indus, initially 35 cusecs, has been made available to Thar Coal project’s block-II to run a coal-fired power plant, which is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The supply is being made from Nara canal’s share.

Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro says that his department will spend Rs70 billion as the overall expenditure to ensure 200 cusecs to the project’s block-I and II.

“In the first phase, Rs40bn has been spent and another Rs30bn is being put in under the public-private partnership,” he said.

Speaking to this reporter, Mr Shoro said that Rs40bn had been drawn under the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Initially, the Thar Coal project was to be supplied water through the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) after lifting it from its RD-362, near Jhuddo town of Mirpurkhas and treating it at the Nabisar storage. The work had been going on for nearly a decade.

‘June 30 deadline was extended to Sept 30’

A pipeline for the supply was to be laid by Engro, an independent power producer (IPP), which is the private partner in this joint venture with Sindh government.

This was delayed on account of technical hitches and studies, according to Mansoor Memon, the project director of the Makhi Farash link canal.

Water supply channel

The 61km ‘Thar Carrier’ — a lined channel built by the irrigation department — brings water from Farash regulator of Nara canal — located downstream lower Nara near Umerkot — to Nabisar storage and, in between, a 1.7km minor (channel) connects the storage with Hakro regulator after getting flows from the Farash regulator. Another 61.7km underground pipeline takes canal water to Vajihar storage, Mr Memon explains.

“The carrier will initially get 35 cusecs” says SE Waqar Qadri, who is officiating as the Thar Coal water supply project director. “This water supply project had been pending since 2012-13,” he adds.

“Had the project been delayed further, Sindh government would have to face liquidity damages of $10m per month,” he disclosed, and pointed out that the project was to be executed by June 30 this year but the date was extended till Sept 30. We are able to provide water to the Vajihar storage on Nov 8, after filling the Nabisar storage by 85pc,” he said.

According to Kotri barrage chief engineer Haji Khan Jamali, who has worked on the project for seven years, Vajihar has 15-day and Nabisar two-month storage capacity.

Nespak’s pilot project

About treatment of LBOD water, Mr Jamali said: “Nespak is working on pilot project for a treatment plant at Nabisar to make the actual LBOD water treatment plant functional”. The LBOD water is to be treated at any of the two storages. “Since the LBOD water treatment project was hitting delays, the irrigation department ensured provision of Nara canal’s water to the coalfields,” he revealed.

Water shortage ruled out

Nara canal’s water is to be diverted from its tail-end region which is usually hit by water shortages. But Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro rules out any further water shortage in the canal’s command area because of the 35 cusecs diversion to the coal project.

He admitted that “the [overall] 200 cusecs that can be taken to the coalfields is admittedly agriculture sector’s water of Nara canal”.

The minister argued: “We have lined a number of channels in the Nara canal system to save around 500-600 cusecs.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2021