Dykes in Sukkur, Ghotki stable: CM

SUKKUR: The Tori and KK dykes in Sukkur and Ghotki are stable and the army and the irrigation department are patrolling and monitoring the flood situation.Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah stated this while visiting the barrages and dykes on Tuesday.
He said it was the responsibility of the OGDCL to re-strengthen the Shank dyke of Ghotki, but it did not pay any attention to it. He said the Sindh government resumed re-strengthening it and pointed out that the water pressure at the Shank Dyke is high but all steps have been taken to rescue it. However, he said, there is no thereat to the Tori embankment.
The chief minister took notice of the absence of the SIDA in assisting the irrigation department in monitoring the situation of dykes. He pointed out that 46 dykes had already been declared sensitive.
Talking to media the chief minister said the Punjab province did not implement the water accord of 1991. He said the Sindh government stressed upon Punjab government and also the Prime Minister to get the accord implemented.
The CM said the irrigation department has been given the responsibility to propose and construct little dams for preserving the water going waste. There is no possibility of constructing the Kalabagh Dam after the three assemblies have passed resolutions against it, he pointed out.
Qaim said the Sukkur barrage, according to experts, has sustainability of 25 to 30 years, so the flood water will easily pass from there. The chief minister said water is backbone for the agriculture sector of Sindh in the same way electricity was for industrial and development sectors. “Without water and energy, we cannot achieve our development goals,” he said.
CM said all departments, relief agencies and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had already been put on a high alert to meet any situation. He said that staff of relevant departments along with machinery and equipment had been made available at sensitive spots.