HYDERABAD, Dec 18: Isra University vice-chancellor Dr Asadullah Qazi has said that the Left Bank Outfall Drainage project has failed to release drainage water into sea due to its ill- design.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on “Impact of LBOD on coastal area of Badin” organized by the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro and Oxfam on Thursday, he said the project was aimed at disposing of effluent water without affecting the people and agriculture land.

He said events of the past had demonstrated that the district was adversely affected by the Cyclone-2A in May 1999 and recently by the rains.

He said prior to the construction of LBOD there were no problems as drainage water used to accumulate in natural lakes.

He said the Choleri Weir, which was a part of the tidal link, collapsed soon after its completion in July 1997.

Mr Qazi said the natural direction of the surface water flow of the lower Indus plain was from north to south leading to the Rann of Kuchh.

He said the tidal link connecting the spinal drain was aligned in the south-westward direction leading to the Samando Creek in the Arabian Sea.

Mr Qazi said the tidal link was an open channel and at times of high tide the sea water intruded into vast areas of the Badin district.

He said the northern embankment of the tidal link was also exposed to the south-westerly winds which generated waves that endangered stability of the embankment.

In the absence of any protective measures, he said, the embankment had already given way to erosive action of waves and the water had inundated the area that was previously protected by the embankment.

He said as a consequence of the raised water level in the Choleri Dhandh, it was unable to accept drainage water from the tail-end of Karo, Gunjro and Guni outfall drains resulting into sea intrusion.

He suggested they should look into the possibility of providing a one-way valve at the discharge end of the tidal link. He said a similar valve also needed to be installed on the Kadhan-Pateji Outfall Drain at its junction with the Dhoro Puran Outfall Drain.

He said the arrangement would facilitate the drainage effluent at times of high tide to discharge into the Dhoro Puran Outfall Drain instead of the tidal link.

The managing director, Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority, Rafiq Safi Munshey, said the success of the LBOD was subject to increase in its capacity from 4,400 cusecs to 18,000 cusecs, resolution of alignment problem, completion of tidal link system, reconstruction of the Choleri weir, emergency vents in the designs, construction of alternate gate passage at the Shakoor weir and desilting.

He said the LBOD system did not have the capacity to absorb the effluent and rainwater. He said the recent rains had proved this fact.

Prof Bakhshal Lashari said while designing the LBOD the natural flow of water had not been given proper consideration. He opposed any increase in the capacity of LBOD and said that when 4,000 cusecs of water could not be drained out, how could 18,000 cusecs be disposed of.