By Rehan Khan Khushik
MANCHHAR LAKE ( Sehwan). The World Bank technical mission comprised on Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Mr. Juan Soler Cabado Mr. Hendrik Arnold Vernoon, Bilal Khalid, Ms. Hina Lotia, and Mr. Aijaz Shaikh visited the Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal of Manchhar lake.Manchhar lake comprises on Sehwan taluka in Jamshoro district and Johi in Dadu district.
According to environment experts this is dying lake as this lake turned into brackish due to release of toxic water through Main Nara Valley Drain.The World Bank technical mission also observed the ongoing flood rehabilitation work at embankments of Manchhar lake, relief cuts site RD -Reduced distance 14 and RD 52 of Manchhar lake, those relief cuts were given in 2022 flood.
World bank technical mission checked and visited the Karampur Ring bund that constructed to protect the 50 thousand population of historical city Karampur from floods.
Additional director SFERP Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project, Iqbal Ahmed Palejo briefed the world bank technical mission about rehabilitation work at Manchhar lake and its component at Rehabilitation structure of Aral head regulator of Manchhar lake.
He briefed that all flood rehabilitation works at Manchhar lake will be completed till 30 September 2023.
On that occasion, Deputy Director SFERP Balram briefed that the 95 percent rehabilitation work of the Danister tail regulator, Aral head regulators were completed. He said that discharge capacity of Danister Canal was increased from 500 cusecs to 5000 cusecs.
The world Bank Technical mission hoped the timely completion of rehabilitation of Manchhar lake Containing Bund and would ensure the protection from future floods.
“Discharge water capacity was enhanced from 37000 cusecs to 82000 cusecs from Manchhar lake to River Indus through three sources including Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal”” Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist told this correspondent during visit of rehabilitation work at Manchhar lake “.
“25000 cusecs from Aral tail regulator, 52000 cusecs from Aral head regulator and 5000 cusecs from Danister Canal will be discharged from Manchhar lake to River Indus”” said Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist”.
“Karampur bund is also rehabilitated near Sehwan as it was also used for travelling purpose by the local settlements in 2022 flood when it was high flood in River and relief cuts were given at Manchhar lake to reduce the losses of flood disaster “” said Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist”.
” During 2022 high flood, Sehwan city was also posed serious threat of flooding hence to protect Sehwan city, 19 RDs of Aral left embankment was rehabilitated”” Mr. Hendrik Arnold Vernoon World Bank Technical mission member told this correspondent”.
” With rehabilitation of Aral left embankment, Sehwan city and it’s surroundings settlements will remain safe in flood disasters in future from Hilltorrents, Manchhar lake water, and River Indus water as well”” Said Mr. Hendrik Arnold Vernoon “.
“Manchhar lake has 1 million acre feet capacity to restore water and 0.16 million acre feet water can be discharged within 24 hours from Manchhar lake and if there will be emergency situation, Manchhar lake can be evacuated between five to seven days through its upgrading the Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal”” Mr. Juan Soler Cabado World Bank technical mission member told this correspondent”.
“Total 30 kms of Manchhar lake embankments was raised from 127 feet hight to 129 feet hight and its width was increased from 20 feet to 30 feet to protect the local settlements from inundating”” Iqbal Ahmed Palejo additional director Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project briefed to World Bank Technical mission during visit at Aral head regulator structure of Manchhar lake “.Aijaz Shaikh irrigation expert world Bank Technical mission told this reporter “.
“182 kms long embankments of flood protective bund stands in Sindh province and 169 kms in Balochistan province as it protects the hills torrents of Kheer Thar Range to Sindh province”said Aijaz Shaikh irrigation expert world bank”.
“During 2010 high flood in River Indus, the river has 13 kms wide it’s bed but after construction of Amri bridge near Sehwan, river bed became narrow till 1.5 kms and it caused raised water water level in 2022 which developed it’s pressure along with embankments of it’s both left and right sides and it also created difficulties to discharge water from Manchhar lake to River Indus”” said Iqbal Ahmed Palejo Additional Director Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project told details to this correspondent”.
“Two feet water level was more raised in River Indus after construction of Amri bridge near Sehwan during high flood 2022.” Said Iqbal Ahmed Palejo “.
” With the completion of the rehabilitation work, the communities settled along the Manchhar Lake, their agriculture land, standing crops, livestock and other livelihoods, public infrastructures and available water resources in the area would be protected””Social Safeguard Consultant Mr Nasir Panhwar briefed details this correspondent”.
“These benefits will ultimately manifest in protection and contribute to improvement in the lives of vulnerable people”” said Mr Nasir Panhwar”..
“Manchhar lake was fresh water lake and it was turned into brackish water due to disposal of saline water through Main Nara Valley Drain which has destructed the boat culture and civilization of Manchhar lake “” said Nasir Panhwar “.
World bank technical mission also met the local communities of fishermen at Bund Manchhar near Bubak.
Moula Bux Mallah chairman Manchhar Bachayo Ittehad informed to world Bank Technical mission that with rehabilitation of Manchhar lake embankment, their settlements will remain safe from future floods..
Mohammad Sharif Mallah informed that with rehabilitation of embankments and Danister regulator, their fear of inundating of their houses was ended for future floods.
