Decades-old issue of canal design to be addressed with WB loan, but no time soon

HYDERABAD: Commencement of physical work for the rehabilitation of Akram Wah, the only off-taking lined channel of Kotri barrage, at a cost $75.92m may take more time to address its decades-long design problem that blocks full discharge into the channel.

These remedial measures would be undertaken under World Bank-funded Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) project. The project has already started.

Akram Wah is Kotri barrage’s one of two perennial canals that feeds lower Sindh’s Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and considerably large part of Hyderabad division’s rural districts with a command area of 0.487m acres. The 76.20-mile-long canal has 1,780 outlets to feed farmlands.

With the establishment of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida), the lined channel was placed under its administrative authority besides a non-perennial new Phulelli canal. Rest of Kotri barrage’s two canals are under irrigation department’s domain.

Originally designed for 4,100 cusecs, the canal never lifted full discharge due to the design issue. Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) also lifts water for drinking wate supply to Hyderabad city that contributes to deficiency.

Sida feeds Akram Wah through New Phulelli canal’s Alipur regulator to overcome this never-ending water deficiency. This creates a bad situation for new Phulelli as it has only six-month water as per its share from the barrage for paddy cultivation in Phulelli’s command.

Rice cultivation allowed

Cultivation of rice crop in the left bank of Kotri barrage’s command areas though it was otherwise banned in the left bank areas of Guddu and Sukkur barrages by Sindh government under a West Pakistan legislation.

A damaging part of matter that pertains to Akram Wah’s management is that despite deficient flows, this canal’s water is used for irrigating lands of Sukkur barrage’s left bank in Rohri canal’s command. Water shortage aggravates during Kharif but influential growers cultivate rice in Akram Wah’s command as well despite a ban on its cultivation.

“New Phulelli canal’s growers rightly raise a hue and cry arguing that their share of water is diverted to meet water needs of Akram Wah. But this is a situation that has to be managed technically to feed the areas in Akram Wah as well. But this issue will hopefully be finally settled through SWAT-related works once and for all,” Sida managing director Pritam Das told Dawn.

The lined channel didn’t carry its designed discharge since day one when it was built in 1955 and went into operation in 1958 after construction of Kotri barrage, the third one over Indus river. Situation always worsens when water shortage aggravates during peak Kharif season.

As the last barrage and at the tail-end of Indus river system, this barrage bears the brunt of most water shortage. Water shortage is expected once again this peak Kharif according to Indus River System Authority (Irsa) assessment of 37pc deficient flows in early Kharif in Sindh. This would matter for Akram Wah and new Phulelli canals while ensuring water availability with equity.

As part of Akram Wah’s rehabilitation project Sida has lately disbursed Rs145m out of total cost of Rs555m allocation towards compensation against the demolition of houses built illegally along the banks of Akram Wah.

Compensation to encroachers

According to a senior Sindh irrigation officer, by paying compensation to encroachers a precedent has been set by Sida. “Nowhere in Sindh such compensation is given as anti-encroachment drive covers all irrigation canals and infrastructure under Sindh High Court’s orders. It is wrong,” said the official.

The Sida MD claimed that compensation payment was a condition put up by WB and that was met. Sindh government had separately approved it in the project cost-I (PC-I).

Regarding the proposed work on Akram Wah, Mr Prittam Das said: “We will be going for vetting of the proposed design of Akram Wah through another consultant as well before the work gets underway.”

It was learnt that a private consultant firm’s team recently visited Akram Wah to verify resettlement plan. “It is for the first time that such a cost is paid for resettlement. Those who had occupied areas of canals’ embankment have been disposed and they are told that they can’t digress certain point near the canal while resettling,” said an observer.

Under WB’s loan for SWAT project, Akram Wah’s works include removal of damaged lined panels of canal from RD-0 to RD-193.8 as the debris blocks the flow regime of the channel. Retaining walls would be built at vulnerable sections of the canal where it passes through Hyderabad city. Four cross regulators would be replaced, besides some bridges that are constraint to flow.

According to irrigation officials, humps that have been built in the channel may be removed to improve flow regime. “These humps were built to control behaviour of steep gradients of the canal. But Sida intends to rehabilitate the entire canal through this loan,” he observed.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2023