3 SWAT pilot project starts under testing training by ITRC

By Nazir Siyal

KARACHI: World Bank funded pilot project, under Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) proposed three distributries among “Jariki minor left bank area in Badin, Ghundran at Nara canal in Sanghar and Mirpur minor at Ghotki.

Following the guidelines of the World Bank, renowned International water experts Dr Charles Burt Chairman ITRC and Dylan Goodwin water expert of (ITRC) Irrigation Training and Research Center) California USA started training sessions with irrigation officials of Sindh and Punjab Irrigation department at hydrology Laboratory Hyderabad Sindh.

World Bank Task Team leader Francois Onimus also reached here to monitor the canal modernization in Sindh to introduce distributory modernization systems in irrigation networking system here at Hydrology Laboratory.

Initially, pilot project is being started on the main canals under the management of SIDA-Sindh Irrigation Drainage Authority through SWAT project funded by World Bank.

“Jariki minor left bank area in Badin, Ghundran at Nara canal in Sanghar and Mirpur minor at Ghotki were proposed for pilot project for canal modernization in Sindh initially”.

Modernization
Program objectives to improve channel system VS old irrigation systems to cover the losses of water, seepage and the fair distribution of irrigation water for tail end growers.

Managing Director SIDA Pretam Das also discussed pilot project issues and possitive change in the training to the experts of irrigation of Punjab and Sindh”.

“The total 15 canals will be modernized under the Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation project to improve the irrigation networking to channels to maintain the water data through proper and modern way” “told MD SIDA”.

“Under the management of SIDA , one canal will be selected and tested from the existing Area Water Boards”” Pretam Das Managing Director SIDA told”.

“Physical Module will be constructed at main Irrigation Hydraulic Laboratory” Pretam Das MD SIDA”.

“Representatives of the World Bank reached Pakistan to train the irrigation engineers of Sindh and Punjab on the new pattern of measurement and technicalities of the program”” said Pretam Das MD SIDA”.

Habib Ursani, the Director at Hydraulic laboratory of irrigation department Hyderabad told the experts that the “Irrigation engineers of Sindh and Punjab participated in the training organized at the Irrigation Laboratory to implement accordingly”.

“Under Canal Modernization, the water level will be maintained by creating a long crest in the canal, which will facilitate equitable distribution of water” Ahmed Junaid Memon UN FAO program manager briefed in the training”.

“The irrigation department of Sindh has continued the manually system of distributories are managed but after modernization of the canals, the distributories will be maintained through Farmer Organizations that will reduce cost level and will cover the loss of water also”.

“Water management will be easy under this system, a farmer can also check how much water is running” passing through each steps”. Ahmed Juanid Memon said.

“Under the new system, water distribution will be made transparent by maintaining the water level” told Dylan Goodwin water expert US ITRC Irrigation Training and Research Center California, who also briefed to the experts of irrigation of Punjab and Sindh during day long training and activity”.

“The experts described flows of water can be maintained with different methods successfully, these practices are also continued in US various regions.

He further told that there is no any such issues were developed because the modernization method is a unique and easy to operate” said Dylan Goodwin a water expert of US.

“The 10 member delegation of irrigation water experts from different provinces of Pakistan will be trained in US to implement such methods in the canal, while modernization at irrigation systems in Pakistan will be implemented after tests verify in the activities,” said Dylan Goodwin water expert”.

” In Pakista there is commonly wide spread assumption that regulation of water is personally modulized and randomly operated there seems to be no agreement between irrigation authorities and Farmers Organizations.

Therefore, it is more complicated, no design existed or practiced, consecutively there is irrigation system is in- equitable” Said Dr Charles Burt Chairman ITRC at US California.

Water expert briefed several key points and recoveries in training to the officials at Hydraulic laboratory at Hyderabad”.

“Through maintaining the weirs of distributories channels, the water will be maintained according to requirements up and down by following the long crested weirs and constant head outlets” Dr Charles Burt told”.

However the training at hydrology lab focused on historical proportional control vs control with more cross regulators
Influence water levels on outlet flow rates.

The cross regulators – long crested weirs versus sluices gates, operation of canal with upstream control by cross regulators, results of new operations, dynamic with operators, field personal and farmers told in the training.