'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎120v] (102/132)

Chap- IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
Sukkur Canal.
Gh&r Canal.
Western Kara.
Works for which only
Revenue Accounts
are kept.
Bunds North of
Sukkur.
Other Bunds,
68
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1908.
1900.
The work of regulating the sizes of the numerous karia heads between the 38th
and the tail was continued, and will be completed before the inundation of 1909. One Sn !? lle
foot of opening has been allowed for each 250 acres of holding, and it is hoped that the sm
at the tail, which has always been deficient, will be considerably improved. u Pply
A cut was made from mile 6 to 7 where there was a big bend in the canal.
A double storey bungalow with Subordinate’s Land hi, well and outhouses have h
completed at Choi; the bungalow has spacious accommodation for 3 officers and should Kp 611
very useful residence not only for all officers in this district, but also for District Officers
the Sukkur Collectorate.
The close contour survey for the Choi Branch area has been completed and a revisWl
estimate for the Choi Branch Project prepared. The Main branch with all Regulators i
complete and three distributaries have been excavated; the remaining ten distributaries wifi
be excavated during the next working season.
The old head was kept closed throughout the season as the Bahuja head gives a better
supply. By constructing a bund across the old head near the junction, the necessity f 01 !
clearing it, which usually costs about Bs. 8,000, was avoided. There is always deficiency at
the tail of this canal, otherwise it worked very well.
Seven distributaries were under construction; they run parallel to the canal and supply a
number of water-courses, which previously took off from the main canal and wasted much
water.
Thanks to the high inundation, the supply was very good. The Ghar is now supplied
from a dhund about 16 miles long and the level is considerably below that of the river
The Fordwah Mouth worked excellently. Owing to the poor supply at the commencement of
the season, a considerable area of jowari was sown where rice is usually grown, greatly to the
benefit of the lands lower down the canals. The dhund supplying the Ghar has a very tortuous
course and will probably silt up. An estimate amounting to Ms. 9,766 was therefore sanciioned
for enlarging and deepening a short cut from the river. This will be completed before the
inundation of 1909. The new regulator at the 9th mile of the iNasrat w 7 as completed.
The canal and its branches had an abundant supply throughout the season. No important
new works were carried out during the year.
In the Shikarpur Canals District, the new head regulators f or the Garang and Chiti Canals
were completed and the banks of these canals and of the Rajibwah were raised and strengthened.
In the Karachi Canals District, the inundation was the highest on record, and the rainfall
in July and August was abnormally heavy and 24-| inches fell at Ladiun in the Shahbandar Taluka
ill July. Most of the low-lying lands were flooded either by rainwater or fiom breaches in the
river bunds. During the floods most of the roads were submerged and communications had to be
maintained by means of boats, even between towns situated at a considerable distance from the
river. In the 8onda and Kudai Tui pas of the Tatta 'lAluka, about 60 lives were lost owing to
floods fiom the hills. B^jri was largely sown on the higher lands and produced good crops.
On the Sattah Canal, the damage done to the crops, however, was less than might have been
expected. Full supply was ma ntained for /8 days as against 22 for the low inundation of
the previous year. In order to relieve the pressure against the Munarki loop bund, cut ■ were
made in the old front bund. I he flood water from these cuts crossed the Satta head and earned
a heavy silt deposit. r ihe loop will be raised and strengthened so as to admit of the cuts being
closed. Many breaches occurred on the Pinyari and branches most of which, however, were
closed, ihe Baghar, which has no head regulator, breached ireely; comparatively little damage
was done to the crops on “ Other canals ” Mirpur Batoro and Sujawal and the Ka ri.
The damage done to the canal banks especially those of the Baghar and Pinyari was
considerable but has been made good. Funds were not available for s rengthening these banks
to the extent considered necessary. A new head has been made for the Khanto Canal.
^ Ghauspur loop of the Kashmor Bund, estimated to cost Rs. 3,23,486, was nearly
completed during the year under review, and its continuation to the south of the Begari, the
Choi lo' p oi the bukkur-Begari Bund, 6§ miles long and estimated to cost Rs. 2,76,391, was
u t0 ra| ' ld erosion m tli at neighbourhood two loop bunds, estimated to cost
i 1, bad to be constructed between the 28th and 33rd mile of the Sukkur-Begari Bund,
th! 1 ? fe 1 t i he ^ as Con ?P let f d 1 before the ^d of the year. In connection with these bunds,
the teft bank of the Begari Canal above the new Choi Head Regulator was raised and strength
ened, and new loops from miles 4/3 to 6, 5/4 to 12/4 and 19/6 to 23/2 of the bund were in
progress. 1 1
Rs.402379 expenditure of tlle y ear ou tbe b «nds north of Sukkur amounted
These bunds were severely tested by tbe high inundation of 1908 but no breach occurred.
record the inu ? dati ™ the Karachi Canals District was the highest
5 56 inches4 fT- a “ DpreCedent J ed - The avera £ e rainfa11 f °>- the previous 10 years v
5 5b inches but during the year under review it amounted to 17'89 inches, nearly the wh