CM opens revived waterways

A colossal drain whose construction began in 1986 through the federal funding to relieve water logging and salinity in 1.27 million acres of land in four districts of Sindh may eventually start serving its purpose after recently concluded works.

The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday inaugurated the revived natural route of Dhoro Puran to Shakoor Lake in Badin district, expressing hope that the flooding episodes like 2022 and 2011 will not recur with the same intensity.

The CM also announced the establishment of Sufi University in Luari Sharif town of Badin. He said the University of Sufism and Modern Sciences, Bhitshah will also offer contemporary courses. According to him President Asif Ali Zardari has given directions in this regard.

He said the vision of USMS is to solve the greatest challenges of present times by imparting the education of Sufi Saints which focuses on tolerance, harmony, love and brotherhood

Sindh Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Secretary Irrigation Zareef Khero, elected representatives of the area and other notable figures attended the event. The drain, which is connected with the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), is also expected to address severe problems of water logging and salinity in Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar and Shaheed Benazirabad districts.

The CM recalled that the centre constructed the LBOD in the 1980s at the cost of Rs.33.44 billion, but the excavation of its spinal drains blocked the natural drains in the region. Consequently, lands in these four districts began to inundate during floods in addition to becoming degraded and saline. The wetland ecosystem was also completely damaged and the livelihood opportunities for the local people withered away.

"Keeping in view these problems, particularly the livelihoods and the damaged wetland ecosystem, the Sindh government decided to revive the natural route of Dhoro Puran to Shakoor Lake and to construct a spinal escape regulator at RD 210."

Shah recollected that from 1984 to 1997 phase-I of the LBOD project was executed by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).The spinal drain connected the drainage network to the sea through a tidal link, collecting surplus drainage and distributing it through a weir to two branch drains - the Kadhan Pateji Outfall Drain (KPOD), which was connected to the sea via a 26-mile-long canal called the Tidal Link, and the Dhoro Puran Outfall Drain (DPOD).