CM tells KWSB to construct 200MGD canal from Keenjhar to Pipri

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to construct a separate canal from Gujjo to Pipri to provide 200 MGD additional water to Karachi and also directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to reduce its 30 percent line losses so that 58 MGD water could be saved for the city.

He took this decision on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting on the KWSB to explore ways and means to improve thje capacity of the existing system of K-I, II and III under which the city received water.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Chairperson P&D Nahid Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, water board MD Asadullah Khan and the chief engineer.

Briefing the CM, the KWSB MD and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah said that the current water demand of the city was 1,200 MGD against which the total water supply was around 406 MGD. At this, the CM said that the situation necessitated the government to plan, design and implement the water supply projects on a war footing.

KWSB MD Asadullah Khan said different systems of the bulk water supply provided 406 MGD to the city. They include K-I, 280 MGD, K-II, 100 MGD, K-III 100 MGD, and the Hub Dam source, 100 MGD. This comes to an around 580 MGD water supply against which total losses have been calculated at 30 percent, means 174 MGD.

To a question, the MD of the KWSB said that water allocation for Karachi was 650 MGD. Then, the CM asked him about the designed capacity of the Keenjhar-Gujjo (KG) Canal, he responded that it was 650 MGD. At this, the CM said that when the system had allocation and capacity of 650 MGD, why the water board was not improving its system.

He said that if the system was improved the KWSB would be able bring 200 MGD to the system and if the losses of 174 MD were reduced by 10 percent it would further save 58 MGD. The CM directed the water board to construct a canal from Gujjo to Pipri with a capacity of 250 MGD water from where it would be pumped into the system already functional for the city.

Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah said that the project would cost around Rs11 billion. Contracts for some of its portion were given for constructing the 135 MGD capacity canal. The chief minister said it would be a canal of 250 MGD capacity. “I would arrange funds but this city needs water as other projects are getting late,” he said.

The local government minister told the meeting that Pakistan Steel Mills was withdrawing 28 MGD and Port Qasim 7 MGD. At this, the CM said that Pakistan Steel Mills was not functioning; therefore, their requirement must be reassessed. “We are giving four MGD to DHA which is much bigger than the area of Steel Town/Gulshan-e-Hadeed population; therefore, the Steel Mill requirement must be assessed once again,” he said.

To another question, the water board MD told the CM said that 50 percent losses had been recorded from the 100 MGD supply from Hub. The chief minister said that these losses must be reduced to five to eight percent. He said he would talk to Wapda authorities for improvement of the water conveyance system of their first 16 kilometres and then directed the water board to improve its canal to control water losses.

He directed Chairperson Planning & Development Naheed Shah to prepare a scheme for the canal construction from Keenjhar to Gujjo and the improvement of the existing conveyance system of the water board from Thatta to Dhabeji and from Hub to Karachi. “The water board has to make itself a self-sustained organisation,” he said and added: “We would be supporting the water board but the water board will have to improve itself.”