KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Minister for Water Syed Khursheed Shah in meeting agreed to settle all outstanding issues, including K-IV, RBOD-I and III and Hub Canal projects amicably. CM urged Wapda authorities to expedite work on K-IV so that it could be completed by 2024.

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Minister for Water Syed Khursheed Shah in meeting agreed to settle all outstanding issues, including K-IV, RBOD-I and III and Hub Canal projects amicably. CM urged Wapda authorities to expedite work on K-IV so that it could be completed by 2024. Chairman WAPDA Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Secretary Water Resources Hassan Nasir Jami (on video link), Joint Secretary Maher Ali Shah, GM North Masood Soomro, PD K-IV Aamir Mughal and (from Sindh) Minister Local Govt Nasir Shah, Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary LG Najam Shah, Secretary Irrigation Sohail Qureshi and other concerned officers attended meeting. Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV Phase-I (260 MGD) was being constructed in Districts Malir and Thatta with objective to provide a dependable and sustainable water transmission system from its more than 100 kilometers away source of Keenjhar Lake to three reservoirs around city to feed Karachi water supply and distribution network. Chief Minister said that project has already been late, therefore it should be expedited. Khursheed Shah said that his team has told him that there were land availability/ROW issues along with some court cases. At this, CM directed chief secretary to get all issues of land and court cases cleared so that work on project could be accelerated. Meeting was told that WAPDA completed work on Right Bank Outfall Drain-I and III in June 2020 but project is yet to be taken over by Sindh government. Meeting was told that balance work of remodeling/widening of Indus Link and construction of structures from RD 00 to 80+663 has been remodeling of MNVD (RD 0 to RD 110) and additional structures from RD 110 to 220 have been completed. RBOD extension or additional structures from RD 0+000 to RD 132+600 and from RD 110 to 220 have also been done. Meeting was told that balance work of RBOD Extension Drain from RD 161+000 to 284+000 has been completed. CM said that there were some defects in project and current heavy rains and floods have further damaged its structure, therefore in such state of affairs project could not be taken over. After thorough discussion, it was decided that joint team of WAPDA and Irrigation department would conduct survey of RBODs and submit their report for further decision. Syed Khursheed Shah pointed out that there were some liabilities of over Rs 1 billion on account of operation and maintenance of Hub Dam against Sindh government. CM directed local government department to reconcile liabilities and put up case for payment to Wapda.

Chairman WAPDA Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Secretary Water Resources Hassan Nasir Jami (on video link), Joint Secretary Maher Ali Shah, GM North Masood Soomro, PD K-IV Aamir Mughal and (from Sindh) Minister Local Govt Nasir Shah, Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary LG Najam Shah, Secretary Irrigation Sohail Qureshi and other concerned officers attended meeting.

 Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV Phase-I (260 MGD) was being constructed in Districts Malir and Thatta with objective to provide a dependable and sustainable water transmission system from its more than 100 kilometers away source of Keenjhar Lake to three reservoirs around city to feed Karachi water supply and distribution network. Chief Minister said that project has already been late, therefore it should be expedited.

 Khursheed Shah said that his team has told him that there were land availability/ROW issues along with some court cases. At this, CM directed chief secretary to get all issues of land and court cases cleared so that work on project could be accelerated.

Meeting was told that WAPDA completed work on Right Bank Outfall Drain-I and III in June 2020 but project is yet to be taken over by Sindh government.

Meeting was told that balance work of remodeling/widening of Indus Link and construction of structures from RD 00 to 80+663 has been remodeling of MNVD (RD 0 to RD 110) and additional structures from RD 110 to 220 have been completed. RBOD extension or additional structures from RD 0+000 to RD 132+600 and from RD 110 to 220 have also been done.

Meeting was told that balance work of RBOD Extension Drain from RD 161+000 to 284+000 has been completed. 

CM said that there were some defects in project and current heavy rains and floods have further damaged its structure, therefore in such state of affairs project could not be taken over.

After thorough discussion, it was decided that joint team of WAPDA and Irrigation department would conduct survey of RBODs and submit their report for further decision.

Syed Khursheed Shah pointed out that there were some liabilities of over Rs 1 billion on account of operation and maintenance of Hub Dam against Sindh government. CM directed local government department to reconcile liabilities and put up case for payment to Wapda.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 16 2023

Like Business on Facebook, follow @DailyNCourier on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.