LARKANA: Contractors appear reluctant to undertake emergency work to strengthen the Indus River dykes in Larkana district, which are considered vulnerable to erosion in the upcoming monsoon rains.
The contractors are demanding payment of outstanding dues, accumulated to over Rs25bn, from the government against the works they had carried out under previous contracts.
Recently, the chief engineer of the Indus River’s Right Bank wrote to the irrigation secretary, keeping him abreast of the looming danger and unavailability of the required funds.
In his letter, the chief engineer termed the situation ‘critical’, describing the condition of the first line of the River Bund as ‘horrible’ and highlighting the threat to the Larkana-Sukkur Bund (LS Bund) at mile 40/2 to 40/3 near Larkana and Naudero. He also drew the attention of the authority towards making early arrangements for funds to cope with the impending danger.
Irrigation department terms situation ‘critical’ ahead of monsoon; seeks urgent release of Rs1.5bn for strengthening work; contractors demand payment of Rs25bn dues first to undertake job
He quoted correspondence from the superintending engineer of the Western Sindh Circle Larkana made on June 15, wherein the condition of the LS Bund mile at 40/2 to 40/3 was described in a ‘post-flood’ report as being under great threat from deluges in the Indus during upcoming monsoon rains.
When contacted, the superintending engineer of the Western Sindh Circle confirmed to Dawn that the ground realities had been conveyed to the chief engineer of the Right Bank.
The situation along this reach has become vulnerable due to the severely damaged structure of the bund, as the ordinate has become minus. With the high-flow season looming, river flows may rise any time. Therefore, this reach will remain under constant threat throughout the flood season and may result in atrocious consequences if not attended to in time.
It is pertinent to mention here that the total allocation on account of maintenance and repair (M&R) for the bund in the Northern Dadu Division Larkana is Rs36.92 million. The burden of such emergency interventions cannot practically be borne through regular maintenance funds, whereas an amount of approximately Rs1.5 billion is required for carrying out the proper work alongside the weaker portions of the dyke. There is no provision in the ADP Programme, nor are any funds available or allocated to carry out this work through M&R; the meagre regular M&R funds are insufficient to meet the requirements of such emergent works. Since these works must be executed and completed within a limited time to avert potential damage, the full amount is needed at the time of execution to ensure timely and effective completion.
Furthermore, during flood emergencies in the years 2024 and 2025, emergent protective and preparedness works were carried out in the larger public interest under emergency and alarming circumstances, sources well-acquainted with the situation said. However, despite the lapse of considerable time, the corresponding funds have not been released and the liabilities of contractors remain unsettled, as mentioned in the letter.
Reliable sources in the irrigation department said that Rs7.9 billion and Rs17.5 billion were outstanding dues to be paid to the contractors who had done the emergency flood-fighting work during the years 2024 and 2025, respectively.
The irrigation high-ups were requested, in the light of prevailing conditions and facts, to take up the matter on a priority basis and to issue the necessary policy guidelines regarding the mechanism through which such emergency situations are to be managed, financed and addressed in the absence of approved funds, the contents of the letter added.
Timely guidance will enable this regional administration to take appropriate measures to face emergent situations and to avoid dreadful consequences during the upcoming flood season, the irrigation officials’ correspondence said. They called for attaching high priority to the matter.
Copies of the letter were also sent to the secretary (technical) irrigation, the commissioner of Larkana, the S.E. Western Sindh Circle Larkana, and the irrigation minister’s office.
Another source in the irrigation department pointed out that the conditions of Hakra Bund and the Old Abad Bund near the Larkana-Khairpur Bridge and Mohenjodaro merit early attention. Time demands not only that the outstanding dues of the contractors be cleared, but that a handsome amount be allocated and released immediately to undertake the job of strengthening the dykes and to partly clear the contractors’ dues so that they might be willing to restart the work.
Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2026