DADU: Head of a delegation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Knut Ostby, who visited Sukkur barrage on Wednesday, said that the UN agency was keen to work for the development of Indus river system, including agriculture, food and livestock.

Mr Ostby, resident representative of UNDP Pakistan, his wife and other team members who were briefed about the barrage by Chief Engineer Syed Sardar Shah during the visit, said that UNDP worked collectively with Pakistani people and the government on developing and supporting nationally-driven solutions to challenges and improving livelihoods.

He said that the UN was interested in integrated development and work on environment as well as social issues. Sustainable development should be prioritised, he said.

In this regard, he said, there was a five years study plan what UNDP could do for Indus river basin to sustain life in the river basin and manage water both down and upstream.

He said that his agency was also concerned with food security. The UNDP would talk to the federal as well as provincial government and other partners for the development of the Indus river system as 70 per cent of Pakistan’s population depended on the Indus.

He found during inspection of the barrage that it was dilapidated and needed overhauling, he said.

He said that his team had also inspected Kotri barrage and it would submit a comprehensive report to the UN. A UN team would prepare a report on aquatic life in rivers, he said.

Deputy project director of Sindh Barrages Improvement Project Sajid Ali Bhutto and deputy director environment Dr Ali Asghar Mahesar accompanied the delegation.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2022