Water supply to Thatta canals suspended

Dawn, 16 May 2010,

THATTA: Suspension of water supply to Sakro, Jam, Orderolal and lower Pinyari, besides a number of other tributaries, has created acute shortage at Mirpur Sakro and Sujawal divisions with Karachi getting its daily supply of 1200 cusecs from the Keenjhar Lake. Dawn learnt on Saturday that this situation was causing heavy financial losses to tail-end growers.

The closure of all seven gates of PQ Fall Head Regulator, installed at Kalri Baghar have suspended the flow to three main branches irrigating Sakro sub-division, said an official of Keenjhar Lake Hilaya Sub Division on the condition of anonymity. Another authority said that the gates were closed as a spillway on the embankment of Keenjhar Lake was being constructed.

He said that the PQ Fall Regulator was of no use now as K.B. Feeder upper had been connected through a link canal.

Executive Engineer Mohammad Alam Rahupoto of the Irrigation Department, Sakro division was of the view that water in Keenjhar Lake may reach dead level if not brought back to its full capacity of 52.50 reduced level (RL) from the existing 45.40 RL. He said that the Lake was getting 12,00 cusecs round-the-clock via K.B. Feeder upper from the Indus for continued supply to Karachi through Keenjhar Gujjo Canal.

Keenjhar was not getting enough water to supply to Mirpur Sakro sub-division which had further compounded the problem.

A landlord of Mirpur Sakro said that the fertile land was turning into barren because of the non-release of water downstream Indus. He said that sugarcane, banana, paddy and vegetable, besides other cash crops on thousands of acres in Sakro sub-division were gradually deteriorating.

Population of Ghorabari, Keti Bandar and Kharochhan towns were not getting potable water or for daily use.

Similar situation was prevailing at lower Pinyari because of which acute water shortage was being felt in four talukas — Sujawal, Jati, Shahbundar and Mirpur Bathoro which was damaging standing crops. Residents too, were unable to get water for daily routine.

It was revealed that authorities were releasing only 21,00 cusecs of water to Keenjhar through K.B. Feeder upper against the required capacity of 8,000 cusecs. Authorities had started releasing only 200 cusecs to Oderolal branch to avoid public anger.