HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Irrigation Sohail Anwar Siyal said on Sunday that a faulty Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) had been handed over to Sindh government, which could carry only 4,000 cusecs of flows.

The minister told journalists during his visit of Kotri barrage that the Sindh government had expressed its reservations over proposed Sindh barrage at a recent meeting at Chief Minister’s House and asked Wapda to make irrigation officers part of the barrage plan so that they could give their input. If Sindh barrage was built without homework then the entire area between Kotri and Sindh barrages would become a dam, he said.

He said that LBOD was not carrying flows of rainwater from its catchment areas while river flows remained normal at the three barrages. The drain was receiving flows from its catchment areas in Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Badin which had witnessed a flood-like situation in recent rainfall, he said.

He said that Naukot still faced pressure of water but the situation was under control now. It was due to required measures that LBOD was able to carry 12,000 cusecs which was more than its designed discharge, he said.

He said that some necessary works were carried out on LBOD and that was why only three breaches were reported in the drain which h had developed 19 in 2011.

SCA wants LBOD capacity increased

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture general secretary Zahid Bhurgari has said LBOD’s discharge capacity should be increased in view of climate change and saline and freshwater drains should be separated.

In a statement issued here on Sunday he expressed concern over the state of LBOD and said that LBOD had inundated large tracts of farmland because 12,000 cusecs water flows were allowed to enter the drain as against its designed discharge of 4,600 cusecs.

He said that standing crops on millions of acres of land were destroyed when the drain overflowed its banks causing billions of rupees losses to agriculture sector and farmers.

If provincial and federal governments did not redesign the drain it would spell disaster every season. Naukot, Jhuddo, Tando Jan Mohammad and Digri were inundated after water of three other drains was released into LBOD, he said.

He said that Mirpurkhas Main Drain (MMD) was designed in 90s by Wapda with 400 cusecs capacity and it was separated from natural waterway Puran to save this old waterway.

He said that Puran and Hakro Dhoro together fell into Shakoor lake in India but both had lost their old courses. Old waterways had been encroached upon and the banks of drains had been raised which rendered cities along these drains unsafe, he said and added that drains had also not been desilted.

He said that four new drains besides LBOD and MMD passed through Jhuddo and Digri talukas. That did the authorities not increase capacity of the drains when they were given additional outlets for disposal of rainwater, he asked.

He said that Puran’s old course should be restored and it should be allowed to flow into Dhoro Puran Outfall Drain and then into Shakoor lake. The remaining part of the MMD should be built and connected with LBOD so that it could fall into Run of Kutch, he said.

He said that LBOD’s capacity should be increased and saline and freshwater drains should be separated. Hakro Dhoro’s old course be restored and its capacity increased and Puran be remodeled, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2020