HYDERABAD:The Managing Director of Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) Preetam Das has said the flood passing through the Kotri barrage does not pose a threat to Hyderabad.
Talking to the civil society’s representatives at his office here on Thursday, Das said around 600,000 cusecs medium flood would be passing through that last barrage on Indus river.
However, he said in view of the recurrent floods the authorities would have to plan construction of concrete walls on either banks of the river to protect the cities through which the river flowed.
The managing director apprised that SIDA had written letters to the district administration and other departments concerned against the housing schemes built on the riverbed areas.
He told that SIDA had deployed staff on the river banks to keep a watch on the rising level while other arrangements like pitching stones if required had also been made.
The General Manager Transition of SIDA Ghulam Mustafa Ujjan said although a medium level flood was passing through Kotri, rumours were being spread in the city that it was exposed to flooding.
He said the purpose of interaction with the civil society was to allay their fears concerning the threat of flooding in Hyderabad.
The Vice President of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) Owais Khan blamed the alleged builder mafia for plundering the ordinary citizens by selling them properties built on the riverbed areas in Hyderabad.
Zulfiqar Halepoto, a civil society representative, emphasized on the need of removing encroachment from the natural paths of the river and seasonal streams.
The SIDA also arranged a visit for the civil society to the embankments protecting Hyderabad.