HYDERABAD: President Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) Nawab Zubair Ahmed Talpur has expressed serious concern over the breakage of the cofferdam during the repair work of the Sukkur Barrage and the resulting reduction in the water supply in the Rohri Canal and Nara Canal.
He said on Monday that the gates of the barrage were being repaired using substandard material, and during the process the cofferdam also collapsed. As a result, the water supply to the Rohri and Nara canals has been reduced, which will negatively affect agriculture.
Talpur warned that the situation could worsen as farmers may face water shortages during the upcoming cotton sowing season. He added that the government has already increased petroleum prices unnecessarily, and now the shortage of irrigation water is creating further difficulties for farmers.
Under such circumstances, cultivation will become nearly impossible and the country could face serious economic and food challenges, he said. Talpur further alleged that the government of Punjab, with the backing of the federal government, is pursuing projects that are detrimental to Sindh. He said the Jalalpur Chopar Canal Project is part of these plans, adding that the people of Sindh would never accept such projects. He announced that a strong public movement would be launched after the Eid against these initiatives.
The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad president also pointed out that fake seeds and fertilizers are being openly sold across Sindh. He said the federal government had earlier announced a ban on more than 300 companies involved in selling counterfeit seeds but has yet to disclose their names.
He demanded that the federal government make the names of these companies public so that farmers can protect themselves from further financial exploitation. After the flow of floodwater, a cofferdam was constructed in October 2025 from Gate No. 24 to Gate No. 46 of Sukkur Barrage. However, due to serious negligence, the cofferdam in front of Gate No. 44 collapsed on March 4, 2026.
Under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Programme, a modernization project for Guddu and Sukkur barrages is being carried out with funding of more than Rs74 billion from the World Bank. As part of the project, 17 gates were replaced in 2025, while 27 more gates will be replaced during the current year.
