Weak Chenab dykes may endanger Jhang city

JHANG: Four breaches made in River Chenab dyke last year to drain sewerage into the river may endanger the city during the current rainy season, but the Punjab Irrigation Department and other authorities concerned seem least interested in taking any corrective measures.
According to sources, the Punjab Highways Department (PHD) made four major cuts in the lower portion of the river dyke last year to drain sewerage into the river. As the city’s surface level is lower than the river bed, four pumping stations had also been installed to pump out the sewerage.
The Jhang district braved a high flood situation last year. Experts say the breaches in dyke along the city localities could be dangerous this year also. The then DCO Raja Khurram had directed the tehsil municipal administration (TMA) to fill the cuts with sandbags and iron sheets to avoid any dangerous situation in future.
Sources claimed that to avoid the overflow of dykes towards the city, two emergency breaching points were made available officially at Thatha Mala and Balu Shaba. One breaching point at Vijhlana was made available unofficially to divert the flood water towards the rural areas.
Last year, the breaching activity saved the city from a big disaster but it made lives of residents of the rural areas miserable. Hundreds of cattle-heads were killed, houses destroyed and rice and sugarcane crops on hundreds of acres of land in Vijhlana, Kot Khaira and other villages were washed away due to the floods. However, the Irrigation Department officials say only Thatha Mala breaching point was operated by them, while the remaining two were breached due to the pressure of floodwater in the river.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Vijihilana areas on September 16, 2014 to monitor the relief activities and a high-level inquiry was ordered on people’s complaints.
During the probe, the TMA officials alleged the cuts were made by the PHD for completion of a draining project and it was their responsibility to fill it. But the PHD engineers claimed that the project was prepared and pumping stations were constructed by the TMA Jhang and the PHD only contributed partially to complete the road drainage project.
The Irrigation Department engineers did not object during the execution of the project, they said. Jhang Assistant Commissioner Imran Asmat, who was deployed by the district administration to ensure checking of flood safety walls, has said the issue was raised during the last year’s floods and it was in the notice of senior PHD and Irrigation Department officials. He said they were authorised to take up the issue with authorities concerned to take corrective and safety measures. However, he said the river dykes were in a satisfactory condition. Jhang Irrigation Department XEN and SDO, however, refused to comment on the situation saying the issue would be taken up whenever a high flood situation arises.