HYDERABAD, Sept 17: The Sindh minister for environment and forests, Hassan Ali Chanhio, has said after completion of the extension of the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD), pollution in the Manchhar Lake will be eliminated and there will be an appreciable increase in the production of fish.

He said this while being briefed on the RBOD proposed plan at Karampur, Sehwan taluka, and during his visit of the RBOD route from Karampur to Gharo Creek.

He said he had asked the irrigation department to invite objections from people about the project.

Chanhio also directed officers concerned to keep in view the bottlenecks in the disposal of effluent into sea.

He said special attention should be paid to protect the designing during rainy season.

He said small bridges, culverts and footbridges should also be constructed as after the completion of the RBOD, the area would be divided into two parts.

The Sindh minister said common wall of the river and the drain should be designed by expert engineers to avoid mixing of drain water with river water.

He said special care should be taken that the seepage of the RBOD did not find its way to Haleji and Handero lakes in Thatta district.

The director-general, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sindh, Shafique Ahmad Khoso, informed the minister the EPA had invited objections from the affected people during public hearings at different places.

He added keeping in view these objections and to take care of apprehensions of the people, some changes had been made in the project.

The project director, RBOD, Bashir Ahmad Dahar, said the RBOD extension project was spread over 273 kilometres and it would cost Rs14 billion.

The chief conservator, wildlife, Sindh, Muneer Ahmed Awan, stressed the need for protecting Manchhar, Haleji and Handero lakes as the drain would be passing near these lakes.

He said the drain would dispose of 3,500 cusecs of water into sea.

He said 485 small bridges, regulators, siphons, watercourse crossings, culverts and footbridges would be constructed at different places.