ISLAMABAD Although monsoon rains triggered unprecedented floods in rivers yet the decisions on part of the ignorant and incompetent administrative authorities also contributed to the scale of colossal devastation in several parts of the country, TheNation learned on Sunday. Affectees of the breach in Left Marginal Bund (LMB) at Taunsa Barrage while talking to TheNation informed that the breach occurred due to the premature verbal orders of the Commissioner, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hassan Iqbal to the operator of the barrage (XEN Taunsa Barrage Irrigation Division) though he was not the concerned official. They also informed that XEN Taunsa Barrage Irrigation Division Munir Anjum tried to explain that it related to the scheme of the operation that these gates were required not to open fully but the Commissioner refused to listen to any argument that is why these under-fluice gates were not opened. Therefore, on the orders of the Commissioner, the operator of the Barrage opened the gates fully. It has been learned that the local people had complained to the Commissioner, Dera Ghazi Khan that out of 65 under-fluice gates of Taunsa Barrage, four right under-fluice gates were not free and thus becoming the cause of blocking floodwater that resultantly created upstream pond. Sources were of the view that the Commissioner, DG Khan reached the barrage immediately after the repeated telephonic complaints of the people living in the vicinity of the barrage and observed the same that was informed to him about the critical situation. Here, it is important to mention that traditionally at Taunsa Barrage, the approach of Sindh River is oblique. At the barrage, the river approaches at the left side first then it goes to the right side. So after the opening of these four right under-fluice gates, the current of water that was approaching to left hand/side diverted to right immediately. However, the Commissioner, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hassan Iqbal when contacted, flatly refused the charges of the affectees of the area and said, I am not the responsible person to place orders on such issue. He was of the view that he was not the competent authority to order the operator of the barrage to up and down the under-fluice gates of the Barrage. So after seeing the water rushing towards right under-fluice gates, the Commissioner again ordered to close the under-fluice gates on the same position. The operator of the barrage did what was ordered to him by the said commissioner. During this operation, water hammers were developed on the upstream of right under-fluice gates that affected the currents of water, which were traveling towards the left. This water hammer affected long on upstream, which ultimately created a wavy action near the Left Marginal Bund and resultantly breached the LMB at Reduced Distance (RD) 30 of Taunsa Barrage. However, it is relevant to note that Taunsa Barrage is under the Chief Engineer of Project Management Office Lahore instead of the Chief Engineer Irrigation Dera Ghazi Khan even the Secretary Irrigation vide in his letter dated January 2010 that the barrage should be handed over to the Chief Engineer Dera Ghazi Khan. Moreover, various concerned official posts of Taunsa Barrage Irrigation Division are lying vacant for a long time like the post of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) is vacant for the last three months and the office of the Superintendent Engineer is vacant for the last five months needs to be filled immediately viewing the recent incompetent decisions of the officials that have not only drowned the area but also caused innumerable causalities and heavy losses of land and properties resultantly the hope of the down-trodden people of the country.