The meeting was informed that RBOD-I project is part of master plan of Right Bank Outfall Drainage System and original project was approved by Ecnec on 18-09-1994 at cost of Rs 4.395 billion. The project scheduled to be completed within 4 years after approval has only been completed 78 percent during last 23 years. The Ecnec was informed that the work could not be completed due to objections of the government of Sindh on draining off the effluent into the Indus River. Consequently, the project was delayed for several years and subsequently 1st revised PC-1 cost Rs 14.707 billion was approved by the Ecnec on 30-11-2006.
The Wapda submitted the 2nd revised PC-1 costing Rs 17.505 billion after framing the project on the instructions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The meeting was informed that a committee headed by secretary finance was constituted with secretary Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms and secretary Ministry of Water & Power, chief secretary Sindh, secretary irrigation Sindh and chairman Wapda as members to look into the matter and come up with a comprehensive integrated plan.
The main objective of the project is to provide disposal facilities for waterlogged area so as to increase agricultural production. The revised scope of work is: (i) extension of RBOD (MNVD) up to Mire Khan Zero Point; (ii) remodelling of MNVD for 3,500 cusecs drainage effluent; (iii) rehabilitation & improvement of Rattodero Surface Drainage Project; (iv) rehabilitation & improvement in Miro Khan Surface Drainage Project; (v) rehabilitation & improvement in Shahdadkot Surface Drainage Project; (vi) and monitoring the quality of effluent requiring disposal into Hamal Lake, Manchar Lake and Indus River and evaluation of its effect on quality of water bodies.
An allocation of Rs 1.5 billion has been made in the public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2016-17. The sector''s issues are water scarcity, need for additional reservoirs as well as protection of infrastructure from onslaught of floods and mining of groundwater.
The water sector strategy centres around important elements including water logging, salinity, harnessing flood flows for direct irrigation, groundwater recharge, agriculture development and poverty alleviation. The project related to the issues of safe disposal of drainage effluent to RBOD-I envisages outcome annual increased crop production of 21,000 tons of rice and 10,000 tons of wheat.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017