Govt restores old waterways

Natural waterways to protect Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, and Nawabshah

KARACHI:

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the construction of LBOD Syphons and Espinal Escape regulator at RD-210 has revived old and natural waterways intending to protect the lands of Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, and Nawabshah from deterioration.

This he said while presiding over a meeting to review the revival of natural routes of old and natural waterways here at the CM House on Friday.

Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed the CM, stating that the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) Syphons have been constructed to restore the natural old waterway route from Dhoro Puran to Shahkoo Dhandh. Additionally, he mentioned the benefits of diverting the MM Drain and Digri Dhoro discharge into Dhoro Puran via a siphon at RD 275, connecting to Hakro Dhoro.

The CM said that during the heavy rainfall of 2022, Pangrio Dhoro posed a significant threat to the LBOD system and its vicinity. He observed that the siphon would manage the higher discharge from Pangrio Dhoro by diverting it into Dhoro Puran, which ultimately outfalls into Shakoor Lake, thus mitigating the risk and enhancing the system's capacity.

Minister Irrigation told the CM that during monsoon 2022, the spinal gauges have risen over to its ever-maximum gauges of 2011. The spinal was designed for passing 4600 causes, whereas at present about 12000 causes water passing through it to sea.

Shah said that the two major breaches in Puran Dhoro occurred in RD-7 & 8 on August 28, 2022, out of which the breach of RD-8 of Puran Dhoro was closed on the very next day while the efforts for the closing breach of RD-7 Puran Dhoro became successful at the fifth attempt.

Secretary Irrigation Zareef Khero told the CM that after the revival of natural Dhoras through the construction of siphons and the rehabilitation of the LBOD system, the excess load on the spinal drain will be alleviated. This will lower the spinal drain levels, providing unimpeded access to the main drains of the LBOD system, including the drainage networks of Nawabshah, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, and Badin.