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Karachi, June 04, 2012 (PPI-OT): Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah today presided a high-level meeting regarding dilapidated irrigation network in Sindh at Chief Minister House.
The meeting was attended among others by Sindh Minister for Irrigation Jam Saifullah Dharejo, Secretary Irrigation Mr. Babar Hussain Effendi, Secretary Agriculture Mr. Eijaz Ali Khan, Managing Director S.I.D.A President Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Dr. Nadeem Qamar Shah, representative of Sindh Abadgar Board, Mr. Mehfooz Ursani, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Jan Akhtar, Special Secretary to C.M Dr. Atta Muhammad Panhwar and others. Chief Minister Sindh while speaking on the occasion stressed upon Irrigation department and respective district administration to follow the directives of President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari who had directed to restore the left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) system and all hindrances and obstacles be removed from route flow. He said that it is responsibility of administrative and Irrigation Department to remove all such hindrances, and we have to take over all measures to combat the situation.
On the suggestions of President, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Dr. Nadeem Qamar Shah, and representative of Sindh Abadgar Board Mr. Mehfooz Ursani, the Chief Minister Sindh directed to constitute District level Monitoring Committees on follow up of progress on Irrigation network particularly the L.B.O.D system, which will be comprised of local MPA or MNA, representatives of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture departments and district administration, which will submit their reports within 10-days. Chief Minister Sindh further said that he himself and Minister Irrigation will pay surprise visits of affected areas where development and rehabilitation works will be monitored in the light of progress reports.
He also directed the Irrigation Department to prepare contingency plan for the betterment and improvement of irrigation system, so that no such incident may occur in future. Earlier, Sindh Irrigation Secretary Mr. Babar Hussain Effendi in his detailed presentation on LBOD system informed that on the directives of President of Pakistan, LBOD circle has been established on May 3, 2012 under the Administrative control of Managing Director SIDA, Hyderabad, which will lookafter the emergent work of LBOD system under stage-I and will be responsible for planning, designing and construction of LBOD system for stage-II short term as well as long term programme with the help of Louis Barger consultants. He said that due to thunder shower/rain falls 2011, the network of LBOD system sustained so many DPOD and branch drains.
The Secretary Irrigation further said that all the breaches, along LBOD Spined drain, KPOD, DPOD and branch drains have been closed, and the emergent work of restoration/rehabilitation of LBOD system have been completed by June 30, 2012.
He further informed that all Executive Engineer under the administrative control of LBOD have been instructed to establish a control room, and make necessary efforts to deliver the important information / telephone No’s to all stakeholders. Secretary Irrigation informed that the total cost of Phase-I and Phase-II of short term and long term measures for restoration of drainage system including activation of Dhoras is Rs: 8990.00 million.
According to details, Rs: 2109 million are being spent under Phase-I and work will be completed upto 30th June, 2012 while the works worth Rs: 2891 million will be completed from July 2012 to June 2013. Besides, the second phase work costing Rs:3990 million will be completed from July 2012 to December 2013. Secretary Irrigation informated that there is over all 63% progress on various schemes pertaining to restoration / rehabilitation of bed excavation, raising of banks, repair / reconstruction of water courses.
For more information, contact:
Mr. Allah Bachayo Memon
Press Secretary
Chief Minister House
Tel: +9221 99202019
Cell: +92300-3524057 (Ext: 336)