Sindh CM decides to deploy Rangers along canals to stop water theft

KARACHI: Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Fazl-ur-Rehman on Thursday decided to deploy Pakistan Rangers at different canals, distributaries and irrigation channels to stop water theft so that water could be provided at the tail-end.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting of irrigation department to review water position at different barrages here at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Caretaker Irrigation Minister Mushtaq Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and Secretary Irrigation Syed Jamal Shah.

The secretary irrigation briefing the chief minister said that water position had considerably improved at Guddu Barrage and it had been recorded at 81,328 cusecs.

The position at different barrages is as follows: Guddu Barrage upstream is 81,328 cusecs and downstream is 63,948. Sukkur Barrage upstream 48,401 and downstream 15,831. Kotri Barrage upstream 6,880 cusecs.

The CM was told that the allocation for Guddu Barrage is 31,100 and Balochistan 6,700, Sukkur Barrage 5,600 and Balochistan 2,200 and Kotri Barrage 32,500 cusecs.

Read More: Caretaker CM orders registration of FIR against water theft

Guddu Barrage withdrawal: Begari Sindh feeder withdrawal is 3054, desert pat feeder 7700, Ghotki Feeder 6,626.

Sukkur Barrage: North Western Canal 3,100, Rice Canal 4,040, Dadu Canal 2360, Nara Canal 10500, Khairpur Feeder East 1415, Rohri Canal 10000, Khairpur Feeder West 1155 cusecs.

Kotri Barrage: Kalri Baghar 2660, Akram wah 640, Pinyari 1530, New Fuleli 2125 total 6955. In this the total withdrawal of canals of Sindh is 56905 cusecs.

Fazl said that Nara Canal had the capacity of 13649 cusecs against which it withdraws 10500 cusecs. “This is not bad situation but even then there is acute shortage at the end of Nara Canal,” he said. On this the secretary said that there was water theft on different distributaries and added that so far 50 FIRs had been registered.

The CM decided to deploy Rangers in aid to the police so that water theft could be stopped. “My objective is to provide water to all the tail-enders, therefore, I am going to deploy Rangers and the cases of theft would be registered directly against the landlord not against their kamdars (managers),” he said.

He directed the secretary irrigation to identify the spots of canals and distributaries and branches from where water was stolen and handed over the list to the secretary home. The home secretary would coordinate with Rangers for their deployment. The chief minister also spoke with DG Rangers for deployment of Rangers along the canals.