80 percent tubewells in Sindh non-functional
01 January, 2013
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, on Monday presided over a meeting of Irrigation Department Sindh on water logging and tubewells under SCARP scheme at CM House. The chief minister said that due to continuous three years heavy rains, the lands of province are suffering from water logging in many areas, while there is situation of drought in some areas. He said that scheme of installation of tubewells was aimed at reducing water level in water logged areas and providing water for irrigation purposes of needful lands. Shah said that the relevant section Scarp Tubewell divisions were not working properly and there was no prompt attention towards maintenance and operational use of tubewells, resultantly, the water level had increased. He asserted that there was no attention from officers, engineers and staff of Scarp Divisions and there were complaints from elected representatives about non-functioning of tubewells. Shah said that there were reports of 80% tubewells lying non-functional and he had ordered inquiry about the causes of non-functioning of those tubewells. The chief minister warned that any person found responsible would be dealt accordingly and action would be taken against involved persons. Secretary Irrigation Sindh and Chief Engineer Irrigation Development in their briefing informed that Sindh province being the drainage line of all Pakistan with flat lands, water-logging and salinity is main problems affecting lands & crop yields. He added that the federal government constructed Scarp projects through WAPDA to combat the twin menace of water-logging & salinity; the completed projects were handed over to Irrigation & Power Department for operation and maintenance purpose. He added that WAPDA handed over Scarp projects of Khairpur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sukkur, East Khairpur, Tile drainage project and LBOD Project Shaheed Benazirabad. According to details, there are a total of 3,657 tubewells, out of which 1,401 are closed and in all 2,256 are in operation i.e 38% are closed while 62% are in operation. Shah directed officials to take action against those culprits involved in theft and damages to tubewells. The meeting was informed that more than 100 FIRs had been lodged against such persons. The chief minister assured that funds required for repair and maintenance of tubewells would be released. He also directed the officers concerned to get maximum number of tube-wells repaired within two months and made them functional early. He also directed them to get rainwater disposed of early from rain-affected areas of Jacobabad and other areas. End.
|
