DADU, Feb 25: Speakers at a seminar have demanded early completion of the Right Bank Outfall Drain Project (RBOD) to divert toxic water of Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain into the sea.
This was the consensus of a one-day seminar organized by the Gorakh Development Organization on "Consultation On Right Bank Outfall Drain Crises" here on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, Ali Akbar Panhwar said that in 1974 Left Bank Outfall Drain was launched at the left bank of the River Indus to control water logging but it had failed to serve the purpose.
He said that the RBOD project was also not suitable for the land of the area. He said that toxic water had damaged natural beauty of Hamal and Manchhar lakes. He also criticised the design of the RBOD.
Abul Majeed Jamali said that if preventive measure were not taken against pollution, the Manchhar Lake would turn into a reservoir of salt after eight years.
Fisherman Moula Bux Mallah said that water treatment plants should be installed at zero point of the lake to convert the brackish water into sweet water.
Abdul Rasool Abbasi appealed the government to take immediate steps to prevent the livelihood of thousands of fishermen depending on the lake from being destroyed.
He said that the monsoon rains had damaged many parts of bunds which were temporarily constructed during excavation of the RBOD. He said that the RBOD in the Bhago Thoro area was close to the river and the highway.
Fida Hussain Pirzado said that pollution was increasing in the lake which was hazardous for human beings.
Among others, Saeed Ahmed Memon, Azim Leghari and Inayat Jamali also spoke on the occasion.When contacted, Superintending Engineer, RBOD, Altaf Soomro, said that 50 per cent excavation work had been completed and further work was in progress. He claimed that the RBOD in the Bhago Thoro area would not be affected during floods.
The in-charge, Frontier Works Organisation team for the RBOD, Col Mirza Rasool Bux Baig, said that by December 2008, the project would be completed. He said that RBOD project was facing land acquisition problems but the Sindh chief minister had taken notice of it and directed the revenue officials to solve the problem.
He said through a 273 kilometre long drain from Karampur to Gharo creek, 13,500 cusec of water would be diverted in to the sea which would save the Manchhar Lake and thousands of acres of famland from water logging and salinity.
