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SUKKUR, Sept 17: Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi has said that work on a one billion rupee rehabilitation project of the Sukkur Barrage and its off-taking canals has begun through the repair work on the canal.
He claimed that the entire project would be completed by the year end. He was talking to newsmen here on Friday after attending a briefing on the barrage's repair work given by provincial additional secretary of irrigation Khadim Hussain Memon and also attended by the federal secretary of water and power and GHQ's engineer-in-chief Lt Gen Zubair.
Mr Jatoi said that Sukkur Barrage was lifeline of Sindh's agricultural economy and the federal government was taking all out efforts to maintain it. The irrigation system of Sindh, which was based on its barrages, would be revamped in phases, he said and added that the on-going work to fill the ditches and pits, which had developed under the span-1 and 2 of the barrage, was a part of the rehabilitation project proposed by the consultants.
The minister said that the federal government was actively considering permanent measures for the safety and longevity of the barrage and added: " Funds are no problem in this regard."
He said that President Gen Pervez Musharraf had directed him to visit not only Sukkur Barrage but other barrages also, and a team of expert engineers led by Lt Gen Zubair was accompanying him.
Answering a question, he said that water shortage was natural and added: "Government is happy that the provinces have reached a consensus on a water sharing formula for the next cropping season." He said that ice had began melting on glaciers and hoped that more water would be available in dams in the coming weeks.
MEETING: The federal minister also presided over a meeting at the Circuit House, which was attended by the chief executives and representatives of seven multinational companies of Ghotki district, Ghotki District Nazim Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar, and GOC, Pano Aqil garrison, Maj Gen Asif Akhtar.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Jatoi said that he had been directed by the president to hold the meeting to review the progress on the proposals floated at December 2003's meeting in Khan Garh about socio-economic upliftment of Ghotki.
The managing director of the Mari Gas Gen (Retd) Janjua claimed that the gas company had spent Rs95 million on healthcare facilities and Rs205 million on social infrastructure in the district so far.
The MGCL was also establishing a mother and child hospital and its survey and feasibility had been finalized, he said. Gen (Retd) Mehmood of the Fauji Fertilizer Company assured the minister of establishing a 15-bed coronary care unit at the Ghotki hospital.
The minister said that the government wanted to accelerate the pace of industrial and economic activities in lesser developed areas of Sindh. Ghotki, despite giving large revenue through its gas and oil resources, had been neglected in social sector for decades, he observed and invited the private sector of the district to come forward and contribute to the social sector.
He said that the government was committed to heighten the living standard of common man and the multinational companies could play a vital role in this regard. He asked the nazim and DCO of Ghotki to work in coordination with the managements of the multinational companies to accelerate the work on their social projects, including hospitals, schools and roads.
He said that he would submit a summary of the progress made so far to the president and added that the multinational companies could help eradicate poverty from the area by making jobs and amenities available to the local population. The district nazim spoke about problems being faced by the people of Ghotki district.
