Hyderabad: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced plans to rehabilitate and revive the natural route of Dhoro Puran to Shakoor Lake. The initiative aims to address environmental and agricultural disruptions caused by the problematic Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) project initiated in the 1980s.

According to Zameen.Com, the Chief Minister outlined the detrimental impact of the LBOD, which was constructed to alleviate waterlogging and salinity but inadvertently blocked natural waterways, leading to floods in districts such as Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, and Nawabshah. These floods caused extensive land degradation, salinization, and damage to the wetland ecosystem.

The planned rehabilitation includes the construction of a Spinal Escape regulator at RD 210 and the restoration of Dhoro Puran, aiming to reestablish natural drainage and mitigate the adverse effects on local ecosystems and livelihoods. From 1984 to 1997, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) implemented the LBOD Stage-I project across 1.27 million acres to control waterlogging and salinity. Despite its transfer to the Sindh Irrigation Department in 1993, the system faced challenges, leading to its brief return to WAPDA due to inefficiencies during heavy rains.

The Chief Minister credited recent efforts such as desilting and de-weeding for the LBOD’s improved performance in managing stormwater during the heavy rains of July 2022. However, the floods of 2020 and 2022 highlighted the system’s ongoing issues, impacting agricultural productivity and the ecological balance.

The new project, discussed in a recent meeting with Minister for Irrigation Jam Shoro, Secretary Irrigation Zareef Khero, and local representatives, is set to enhance drainage efficiency, protect agricultural lands from further waterlogging and flooding, and ultimately improve agricultural productivity and farmers' livelihoods in the region.