BAHAWALPUR: The irrigation authorities may consider breaching of Panjnad Headworks` up-stream right marginal bund (RMB) in case the structure faced a threat from the peak flow expected to pass through it by Thursday and Friday.

Irrigation Chief Engineer (Bahawalpur Zone) Malik Khursheed Zaman said this talking to Dawn here on Monday.

He said his department was vigilant about the current flood situation in the three rivers -Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej which merge at Panjnad Headworks.

He said the department was especially concerned about the flood situation at Trimu headworks (on Chenab) from where the peak flow would pass by Tuesday. He said after that final strategy for passage of theflow through Panjnad headworks could be determined.

Panjnad Headworks, built around 1932, was designed to sustain about 0.7 million cusecs but during the last flood around 0.8m cusecs passed through it while during 1973`s high flood the then government had breached its left marginal bund (LMB) instead of the RMB, to save the headworks, allowing the floodwater to play havoc in Bahawalpur division. The high flood had inundated Uch Sharif and Khanpur, besides destroying standing crops on thousands of acres.

The chief engineer said if the high flood posed any threat to the headworks, the RMB might be breached to save the structure.

In that case, he said, the floodwater after traveling on its traditional route along the right side of the headworks and causing damage in the areas of Alipur tehsil ofMuzzafargarh district, might again join the main river.

He said Bahawalpur district administration had already issued flood warning to the population of about 35 villages along the banks of Chenab and Sutlej. He claimed that all the protective bunds of the rivers and canals in the zone had been strengthened.

Panjnad Headworks Executive Engineer Mukhtar Ahmed Danish told Dawn by phone that the headworks` protective bunds were safe and patrolling by the supervisory staff had been intensified round the clock to avoid any untoward situation.

Meanwhile, a meeting presided over by Commissioner retired Capt Javed Akbar was informed that in case of any emergency evacuation from the areas likely to be affected by floodwaters could be started with the assistance of army boats andhelicopters.

DCO Imran Sikandar Baloch told the meeting that the government had provided 100 million to the district for helping the flood-hit.

Rahim Yar Khan DCO Nabeel Javed told the meeting that evacuation from the high-risk areas would be completed within next two days.

Bahawalnagar DCO Jahanzeb Awan said precautionary measures to help the population facing flood threathad been taken.

The irrigation chief engineer told the meeting that all the protective bunds were being strengthened at a cost of Rs10 million.

DEMO: About a dozen Class-IV employees of the tehsil municipal administration (TMA) on Monday staged a demo, demanding their salaries for August.

TMO Ataullah Walha claimed the salaries were being paid to the employees.