'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1914-1915' [‎221v] (112/150)

Chapter IV. 76
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
which was excavated last year, proved very satisfactory.
D.—Proiective Embankments.
The purpose of the long lines of protective embankment found in Sind i s f
the flood waters of the Indus from spreading over and devastating the country T Preveilt
cases, the flooding of the country is beneficial, but it must for this purpose be ke'n^" 1
suitable control, as in the case of basin irrigation m Egypt, or the lowlying land mVk
limited extent, as on the banks of Deccan streams. In Sind when the Indus oyerfl •
banks it pours over a vast area of lowlymg country on both sides and spreads until all
moisture is absorbed. a ttle
The permanent security of cultivation cannot be assured without protective h
these are therefore the most important works in Sind and one of the most arduo ,
responsible tasks of the engineers is to keep them in perfect repair, and to replace in,
time by fresh embankments, called loops, all those portions which seem to be threat 1
with destruction by the erosion of the river. ened
Starting from the northern boundary of Sind on the right bank the Kashmorl
extends to the Begari Canal. It was not subjected to serious erosion this year. The Sukk
Begari bund next to it had two small breaches, and some leaks, which involved the nicessV
of calling up zamindari labour for help. On the left bank north of Rohri the bunds a
smaller and of less importance. There were live breaches in the Naich bund and three^
the Kasimpur bund. No particular damage resulted.
South of Sukkur on the left bank the Western Nara bund breached at mile 39/2 and
mile 72/1 and considerable damage resulted. The extension of this bund from mile 60/1 to
mile 80/6 was in progress and it has now been decided to continue it from mile 80/6 up to
Sehwan.
The M an j hand bund which is further south was raised and strengthened in its first 3 miles
but a bad breach of 700 yards width occurred near its tail, and the villages of Lakha Kadi
and Khuman and the North Western Railway were saved only by making other cuts to let out
the water.
The Mikrao and Tirchi bunds oh the left bank in the Nasrat Canals District were severely
tested with 10 feet and 5 feet of water against them respectively but they stood well. Owing
to the flood level being higher than any previously recorded, the Ghalian bund between the
old and new Fuleli mouths was overtopped and breached at several places, and the kharif j
crops here were a complete failure. This bund has now been raised to 2 feet above this new
high flood level.
The Jamshora bund south of the Fuleli was only saved by most unremitting attention and
effort. It has also been raised now. A failure here would have meant flooding the whole
land up to the railway bank and beyond it to the south of Hyderabad. The Gidu bund
opposite Kotri was partially washed away and had to be remade inland. Further south the
Hajipur bund on the left bank stood well. In the Karachi District there are lengths of 51
miles of bund on the right bank and 94 miles on the left bank. Large breaches occurred in
July 1914 in the Panah Baghar and Baghar Uchito bunds. The very large floods passing
through these reduced the flood level in the river, and thus saved the left bank bunds from
damage. The raising and strengthening of all the Karachi District bunds has been
completed.
It will be seen from the above that this was a year of most strenuous work for the men
in charge of the river bunds, the inundation having risen to an unprecedented height; the
Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. have expressed their appreciation of the work done by all concerned.
E.—Indus River Commission.
Indus River
Commission
works and their
classification.
Survey of the Indus.
Khairpur boundary
rails.
I he works executed during the year were charged to “ 43, Irrigation Minor Works and
Navigation—Agricultural Works—Works for which neither Capital nor Revenue Accountsaie
kept”. All surveys, carried out under the supervision of the Chief Engineer, Indus River
Commission, are classed under this head.
During the year the usual topographical surveys of the Indus, dhands and bunds, etc.,
were made and the length surveyed aggregated 2,409 miles.
As was done in the previous three years, the whole course of the River Indus tan
Rojhan in the Punjab down to the bifurcation, a clear length of 535 niiles, also 37 miles 0 tic
Haideri and 63 miles of the Ochito were surveyed and plotted.
In addition" to this, surveys of the Gudu Dhand and its feeders and the Central P as ^C
of the Indus ” were carried out and cross sections The shape revealed by cutting vertically through a land surface at right angles to the feature of interest. of the river were taken at Jherruc ,
and just above the bifurcation and of Haideri and Ochito below the bifurcation.
I he Khairpur boundary rails, 84 in number, were all inspected. A new rail P 0 ^
were fixed on range line 30 on the left bank, as the original ones had been ero e
river. Rails with their pointers on the range lines Nos. 31, 32, 33, 34 an< ^ 35 011 6 'T| ie j r
were shifted and refixed further inland, as they were in danger of being ero e
distances from the midstream fixings has been noted.