'File 11/1 III Muscat Administration Reports and related correspondence' [‎42r] (83/100)

iMHODUCTioii or Rsroaas m guadur
ADMINISTRATION RSPORT K)R TIIS IBAR ENDING
31st. DECEMBER,1947.
aid 'Dar* which means 'Gate of Wind* It is a most appropriate name
because it literally is what the name suggests. Guadur is situated '
in the Gulf of Oman on the Me*ran coast and is a dependency of the
Siltan of Muscat and Oman. It is a natural sea port with great
potentiality for development. The town of Guadur with an estimated
population of 8000 is built on a picturesque strip of sandy tract
dotted all over by tall graceful date-palm trees which present a
veiy delimitfUl view. The town is surrounded on three sides by the
Araoian sea and is lying between the two bays near the end of a
narrow strip of land about three miles long and half to one-fourth
of a raile in width and is connected with the main coast from the
north. This 'T* shaped projection in the sea ends in the south with
a metff called *Koh Batail'* The town is built on sandy but hard
bank of the eastern bay on a little raised ground and consists
uiottly of muu buildings. There are several good buildings also of
which Jumatkhaua* of the Aghakhanis is the most conspicuous,which
is a permanent structure of good and coloured design. The town was
slightly damaged in the earthquake of 1945 * particularly those
buildings as were directly exposed to the sea. The sea is encroach
ing gradually and has notched the bank badly from the British Agent 1
of lice to the fish go downs, a distance of about quarter mile,leaving
it in a most ragged condition. There are several half washed build
ings still standing on the edge of the bank and the impression they
give is not quite pleasant. Although no immediate danger is antici
pated, yet it is feared, the town in the event of similar natural
causes as mentioned above will be left at the mercy of angxy sea
"bich generally take a heavy toll in such cases. Necessity of some
iand ot Preventive measure is naturally obvious, but inview of the
prohibitive expenditure involved, it can not be contemplated at pre-
west and is about 1 to 2 miles in width. There is a cultivable
catchment area on top of the reef which is entirely dependent on
rainfall and whenever there are good rains produces suffient quanti*
o-l vegetable to meet the local requirement of the town. There also
exist an ancient masonry dam in the catchment area although it is
In a bad state of repairs now.
3. Guadur has no permanent source of irrigation and it can not
be stated definitely whether or not the natural water resources can
be tapped effectively unless experiments under technical supervisio
sent.
2 .
Ihe reef in the south extends about 11 miles from east to