Rehabilitation of riverbanks, canals: Rs 20 billion loan from ADB approved: minister

Sindh Irrigation Minister, Jam Saifullah Dharejo said on Sunday that the foreign ministry of Pakistan is negotiating with British government for strengthening and extending Sukkur Barrage built over 80 years ago because it was them that had made the barrage's design.
Addressing a press conference here after visiting left bank embankments from Ghalyani Bund to Latifabad along with media, government officials and elected representatives, Dharejo said Guddu and Sukkur barrages had to face great pressure of water during floods, therefore, government is taking special measures to fortify the two barrages while expanding capacity of the latter, which is the backbone of agricultural economy in Sindh.
He said Sindh government has got approved rupees 20 billion of loan from Asian Development Bank for the rehabilitation of riverbanks and canals damaged in last year's floods, however, federal government has so far not delivered the promised funds. Indus River System Authority also owes rupees five billion to Sindh, he added. He denied accusing the federal government of discriminating in the release of funds between Sindh and Punjab. "Punjab Government has completed rehabilitation work in one of its flood affected districts by spending one billion rupees more than the Sindh government's Rs2.5 billion spent so far in the process," he added.
The minister informed that 35 percent repair of riverbanks and 95 percent of canals in the district have so far been completed. "We started repair and filling of river breaches in February last and the work is expected to be completed in May," he said. He warned the builders that illegally occupy riverbeds and announce housing schemes there to desist from the activity and also advised people to thoroughly check registration and survey numbers of the schemes before booking a unit.