Slow repair of MNVD aqueduct threatens losses to rice growers

JOHI: Growers of Johi are facing acute shortage of irrigation water for the summer crop season due to delayed repair work of aqueduct over the Main Nara Valley Drain (MNVD) in Khairpur Nathan Shah taluka.

The structure for carrying water was damaged last year due to heavy torrential rains and massive floodwaters coming from Balochistan. The water shortage would likely to persist as the work would continue till next month.

The structure collapsed between Sept-Dec 2022 at MNVD’s right bank’s end when three piles of the aqueduct were damaged. Emanating from the Sukkur Barrage’s right bank Dadu canal, the Johi branch is the only source of water for Johi taluka as the structure is built over the MNVD. It also served as a bridge over the MNVD which was also known as Right Bank Outfall Drain-I.

The ongoing work had started by the end of May under the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project. The kharif crop sowing season has, however, already started. Johi taluka is a rice-growing area fed by Dadu canal while torrents’ water is another source that enters the Johi branch through sluices. The repair had started on emergency basis when kharif season began and its cost were to be assessed later on.

According to Haji Umer Jamali, a veteran rice grower of Johi and representative of the Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), work on the structure was unnecessarily delayed. “Everyone is thirsty in area. None is getting water because the structure [aqueduct] is undergoing work at an exceptionally slow pace. Had it been started timely, it would have been completed by now before commencement of kharif season when the Johi branch of the area was supposed to receive water from the [Sukkur] barrage,” Jamali said.

“We are not getting water even for livestock. Please, do something so that our area starts getting water. People only grow rice crop during summer season and we don’t get water in rabi season,” said a resident of Johi who was passing by the damaged aqueduct.

The Johi branch takes off from right bank perennial Dadu canal’s 95-mile cross regulator before it heads for Johi taluka in Dadu where Khairpur Nathan Shah and Mehar cities were badly hit by the accumulation of floodwater in September 2022.

The Johi branch’s designed discharge is 1,250 cusecs after it was re-designed from head. It crosses left bank of the MNVD at its RD-210 and Johi branch’s RD-77. Three spans in the aqueduct flows for the branch. Johi was badly hit in last year’s flood, however, the city’s residents saved the city from inundation by raising a dyke around it.

Sindh irrigation secretary Zarif Iqbal Khero visited the aqueduct and met the growers as well after being briefed by the consultants working on the structure.

“As a temporary relief, an iron bridge is to be built to pass flows to Johi branch,” Khero told growers.

He was briefed that as per initial plan, subject to changes, the aqueduct would be built a few hundred feet downstream the MNVD and bridge would be constructed around 375ft upstream it for future uses.

“We get water in May and now June has passed, but due to these works, we don’t see that we will be getting water now timely for kharif,” Jamali told the secretary.

He drew his (secretary) attention towards the rehabilitation work of a FP bund’s sluice at RD-75 that had been closed by the irrigation department previously.

“This sluice and others are alternate sources of irrigation as they allow flows of torrents to enter Johi branch”, he said.

Water flows could not be provided to Johi taluka in the last year’s wheat growing season due to structural problems, but growers like Jamali confirmed that they had grown wheat crop on residual moisture in soil wherever the water receded.

The irrigation secretary promised that the pace of work would be accelerated as fast as possible and that the issue of sluice would also be taken care of as well. He asked the contractor to ensure labourers to expedite work and asked him to submit details of damages to branches and distributaries connected with the Johi branch.

“There should not be an excuse that water can’t be provided due to damages in the system,” Zarif observed. He told growers that he would hold an open meeting in Johi as well after the Eid. He told the consultants that labourers should avail minimum leaves during the Eid and resume work immediately.

Mukhtiar Babbar, a resident of Johi city, said initially one pile of the aqueduct sunk in Sept 2022, but at that time, water flows were heavy in the MNVD and work could not have been carried out.

“When water started receding, two more piles sunk in December and the structure or bridge known as Kali Mori collapsed,” he remarked.

According to Dadu Southern Division Executive Engineer Bal Ram, rice cultivation in Dadu canal’s area was banned by the government in 2021, but it could not be implemented.

He informed that a survey of the closed sluice of FP Bund, as per directives issued by the secretary irrigation in his June 25 directives, had been done.

Hopefully, he said, water would be temporarily provided through an iron bridge in the structure unless a new aqueduct was built.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023

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