WORK on the rehabilitation of Left Bank Outfall Drain, a critical job to be carried out before the monsoon season, has yet to start.

The breaches and overtopping of drain water in the LBOD had caused devastations in districts of Sanghar, Badin and Mirpurkhas during the heavy monsoon rains last September as the drain was not in a good shape.

The LBOD’s defective design has severely been criticised by farmers and civil society organisations and irrigation department itself. The drain has a capacity of 4,600 cusecs. Backflow of drain water causes serious problems in farmlands when cyclone or monsoon rain hit coastal belt especially in Badin.

The drain has not been properly maintained over the years. Its bed remains unclear of weeds that lead to choking and blocking the flow of water in the drain. In different reaches, the drain’s banks even washed away. Farmers breach sub-drains to drain out rainwater from their farms. The sub-drains ultimately fall in the LBOD.

According to Sindh Secretary Irrigation Khalid Hyder Memon, both long- term and short-term plans have been worked out to address the LBOD issues. Initially, works of critical nature like re-sectioning and plugging of breaches and strengthening of banks would be completed before rains. The procedural issues are being sorted out and tender would be floated in February to start work the same month.

Farmers living in the area fear repeat of September 2011, if the government does not handle the LBOD issue seriously this time again. The government is slack despite the fact that farmers have suffered enormous losses to their standing Kharif crops, they say. The work should start right now so that it is completed by May, they demand.

They point out that farmers plugged breaches manually on their own and there are areas which are still under rainwater though four months have passed since the rains hit the area.

General Secretary Farmers Organisation Council (FOC) – formed under SIDA Act – Ayub Wassan says: “I live in Sanghar and anyone can visit the area of Tando Mitha Khan and see rainwater still standing there. Machines installed to drain water into Nara canal are not working,” he says and adds “So far, I have not seen any machinery working in the area indicating the commencement of rehabilitation work. Even breaches will not be properly plugged what to talk of redesigning of LBOD if SIDA does not expedite the work,” he says.

Sanghar was one of the worst affected districts during the last rains. The district is also known for cotton production. Huge damages were reported to cotton crop in Sanghar and other rain-hit districts last year.

Vulnerable points on the drain are to be handled first for strengthening the LBOD. PC-I (project cost) of Rs6 billion has been submitted to the Sindh government and release of fund is awaited. Tube-wells that are connected with the LBOD system are to be made operational as a majority of them are not functioning. Growers are complaining about it during consultative workshops organised by SIDA consultant Louis Burger, who is working on the master plan of the left bank and Indus Delta.

A long-term planning is also under way to off-load main LBOD drain and ensure drainage system in the areas which currently does not exist. Old waterways that have been encroached upon will be restored as well. Storm water drainage will be restored in some areas to work as a parallel system of LBOD.

Reports indicate that Rs1.6 billion is being provided to the department under a grant given by the Chinese government. Local residents in the vicinity of LBOD system tell this scribe that there is backflow of water from Shakoor Lake – where DPOD (Dhoro Puran Outfall Drain) discharges rainwater. According to them even major breaches which were seen in Shadi Large and Pangrio area have not been plugged.

According to SIDA’s Managing Director Ehsan Leghari work of critical nature would hopefully begin in February to be completed by June. Monsoon season usually starts in mid July in the coastal area. Re-sectioning of drain would be done besides some rehabilitation of spinal drain (main LBOD system). Everything is being shared with consultants, both local and foreign, he says.