SUKKUR, Feb 1: Officials of the Army Engineering Corps and Frontier Works Organization visited the Sukkur Barrage on Tuesday to discuss latest situation about its repair and rehabilitation and complications being experienced in the work.

The visitors included Director-General of the corps Asif Ali, Lt Gen Mohammad Zubair and director-general of the Frontier Works Organization Maj Gen Shahid. They discussed the situation with the officials of the National Development Corporation and Sindh irrigation secretary Ashfaq Memon.

They expressed satisfaction over the work, discussed widening of cracks in the pillars of the barrage after silt excavation and observed that no danger had been posed to the structure of the barrage.

They said that the army had taken up the work as a challenge and added that hurdles were always experienced in such type of works but there was nothing to worry about. They said that the work was being carried out smoothly and it would be completed by April 15.

Brig Jawed Ashraf Bajwa of the FWO briefed the officers about rehabilitation work of the barrage so far carried out. The discussion and briefing lasted for about two hours.

This correspondent has learnt through reliable sources that federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Jatoi has asked the FWO to construct one more span for the Dadu Canal to increase water discharge into it.

When this correspondent contacted the FWO officials in this connection, they said that the construction of another span had not been included in their contract but the irrigation authorities had asked them to do the job. They said that construction of another span would change entire design of the barrage and added that they had sought design of the span and approval in this regard.