Badin's drainage system collapses amid 'corruption'

BADIN:

Despite the release of billions of rupees in annual funds, the urban and rural drainage system of Badin district has remained dysfunctional for years, raising concerns of urban flooding and crop destruction during the upcoming monsoon season.

Reports reveal that over 50 drainage channels across Badin city, Matli, Tando Bago, Talhar, and Golarchi have not been cleaned, dredged, or repaired for years. As a result, most of them are now clogged, broken, or completely non-functional, while their embankments have also deteriorated. These include some of the country's largest drainage projects such as the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), Karo Ghanghro, Mir Wah Talhar Outfall Drain, Ameer Shah drain, Shaikh Manzoor drain, Tando Bago drain, Lowari Sharif drain, Serani drain, and the Old Budha drain passing through Badin city. According to political, social, farmers' and fishermen's groups, billions of rupees are allocated every year for the rehabilitation of the drainage system, but widespread corruption and negligence have diverted these funds into the pockets of irrigation, drainage, and municipal officials. Wherever some work has been carried out, it has been described as substandard and ineffective.

Local sources confirm that, as in previous years, no large-scale cleaning or repair work has been carried out ahead of the monsoon. This raises fears of severe damage to both urban and rural populations, including possible loss of lives, destruction of homes and property, and the submergence of hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land, wiping out standing crops.

Residents, political activists, social organisations, and farmer groups have demanded that the Sindh government and relevant authorities immediately launch emergency cleaning and repair operations to avert a looming disaster. They have also appealed to the Chief Justice of Sindh and the Director General of NAB to order a high-level inquiry into the alleged mega corruption involving trillions of rupees allocated in recent years for drainage rehabilitation, and to take strict action against those found responsible.