LARKANA, May 24: Larkana Deputy Commissioner Abdul Aleem Lashari has said that Nusrat Loop Bund and Abad Mungli Bund are vulnerable to heavy water pressure, calling for their immediate repair before the flood season.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Lashari said he, along with the chief engineer of Right Bank of Sukkur Barrage, Jawed Ahmed Memon, noticed during a recent visit to the river dykes that the toe of J-Spur on Nusrat Loop Bund had been left unattended by the irrigation department. The portion was badly damaged during the floods of 2010. This had increased the risk of erosion at the site in the event of more floods, he added.

The DC said in a report submitted to the chief secretary and the secretary of irrigation that stones kept at Nusrat Bund for use during floods were still there.

He feared possibility of greater water discharge this year than last year and called for immediate repair of the damaged portion of J-Spur and dumping more stones at the site as it had become the most sensitive point this year.

“I have informed MNA Faryal Talpur about the gravity of the matter,” Mr Lashari said, adding he had also approached Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Minister of Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Law Minister Ayaz Soomro and director-general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

About 86-km long bunds pass through Larkana district along the right bank of the Indus river.

The deputy commissioner’s report said construction of Larkana-Khairpur bridge had made Abad Mungli Bund in Bakrani taluka ‘more vulnerable’. The riverbed, which was spread over 15 kilometres, had now shrunk to eight kms after construction of the bridge.

The period of water discharge had become longer than before, raising pressure on upstream portion of the bund, he said.

The chief engineer, president of the Larkana Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khair Mohammad Shaikh and others also said a team of experts should visit the J-Spur on the Larkana-Khairpur bridge, calling for stone-pitching at the guide bank.

The Akil-Agani Loop Bund, which was severely battered by the 2010 floods, had been strengthened after repairs, construction of T-Spur and studs and rise in the height of dyke.

The ongoing work on raising the height of dyke from Akil to Mahar Wada should be completed within the stipulated time, the officials said.

The DC gave Muhktiarkars one week to complete a survey of villages in kutcha area situated on the river banks in Larkana district in a week.