MIRPURKHAS: Locals fear that Sanghar district might be flooded by the predicted heavy rainfall in the forthcoming monsoon since the officers of the Left Bank Out Drain (LBOD) drainage project have failed to ensure desilting of the drain, which is supposed to be a passage for rainwater, and also repair of the banks.

Reliable sources disclosed on Thursday that a huge amount had been released to the drainage division of Sanghar district to ensure desilting and repairs of the banks of LBOD drain so that rainwater could be easily drained out during the expected heavy rainfall, and population and crops could be saved.

However, it was found that desilting in LBOD drain was done only for some yards near the main Sanghar-Mirpurkhas road, and also a near link road, but the major part of drain was silted up with muds and herbs, resulting in the blockage of water flow while banks of the drain had also damaged which might lead to breaches due to water pressure.

The area people alleged that the officials working on the LBOD project in Sanghar district have misappropriated the funds provided for desilting and strengthening work of banks of the drain.

They alleged that it was due to the corruption that Sanghar submerged last year during the floods as the money to desilt the LBOD drain was embezzled and no cleansing was done, consequently the water flow was interrupted.

They deplored that like the last year, this year too Sanghar district would also be submerged in rainwater as the funds provided on the recommendation of Federal Minister Shazia Marri for desilting of LBOD drain had been embezzled by the officials concerned.

They also blamed cuts at different places into the Khangal lake in taluka Sindhri, district Mirpurkhas, which resulted in huge devastation of crops and population as floodwater in Sanghar district had inundated hundreds of big villages even towns.

They demanded the Sindh chief minister, irrigation minister, secretary irrigation and other authorities concerned to take notice of the corruption and ensure immediate desilting of the drains of LBOD project to ensure smooth drainage of floodwater.

When contacted, engineer of LBOD drainage district Sanghar didn’t respond.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2023