SIDA To Initiate Rehabilitation Of Akram Canal

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2020 ) :The Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) is planning to initiate the rehabilitation of Akram canal is one the three canals off-taking from the right side of the Kotri barrage.

According to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, prepared for the proposed project, the rehabilitation is aimed to restore the canal's discharge capacity to the designed 3,714 cusecs from the existing reduced capacity of 2,800 cusecs.

The report pointed out that over the years the canal's capacity had shrunken by 25 percent due to damage and breaking of the cemented blocks lining the canal and damage to other structure besides encroachment.

Akram is a perennial canal with a designed capacity 3,714 cusecs and the command area of 594,640 acres spread in Hyderabad, Tando Muhammad Khan and Badin districts.

The canal's total length is 76.5 canal miles or 382.8 reduced distance (RD) and it is lined from RD0 to RD192 which amounts to half of the canal's total length.

The project's scope covers removal and disposal of the canal lining from RD0 to RD 191; construction of retaining walls in Hyderabad up to RD 38; and raising and strengthening of embankment from RD191 till the end.

The reinstatement of the inspection and non inspection paths, replacement of 13 regulators, four cross regulators, one escape structure, eight road bridges and six pedestrian bridges are also part of the project.

The SIDA plans to acquire land for the project mostly in the tail-end areas for expansion of the bridges and reconstruction of the regulators and other structures.

Temporary land acquisition for diversions and maintaining irrigation supply during construction are two other challenges for the project.

The rehabilitation would also need relocation of gas supply lines of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL).

According to the EIA, there are almost 17,000 trees located in the project area.

The water samples collected from different locations of the canal for lab research showed that water was high in PH, turbidity and arsenic in certain areas.

The SIDA's officials have identified encroachment of around 3,000 homes, water supply and drainage lines besides disposal of untreated waster water and solid waste as the problems to be dealt with.

After completion the project would increase agricultural productivity and income of the farming community and associated businesses.