BADIN: The Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) is intended to drain saline ground and surface water, and storm runoff, from 1.27 million acres of irrigated land in the four Districts of Sindh Province to alleviate water logging and salinity.
The design discharge from LBOD is 4440cfs and DPOD carries 2000cfs of storm-water and the balance of base flow (1240cfs) and storm-water (2200cfs) is carried by KPOD.
The critical condition of LBOD posed threats to 0.2 million people of areas near of LBOD. The level of water flow of the LBOD was being increased in every moment.
Actual design of water flow was 4440cfs but it is bearing flow of water more than 11000cfs (according to locals) which was overflowing and overtopping and creating threats of the breach occurring at weaken bank of LBOD.
According sources, District Govt Badin has issued high alert and warned the people to evacuate the areas without losing any moment saying that “an appropriate location of incised channels of Dhoro Puranare being considered for International relief cut for discharging the excess floodwater to Indus delta creeks”.
The local people were requested to shift themselves to the raised and safer places amid to reduce the losses and damages. The position of the LBOD at RD. 209 was seemed so critical and continued overtopping when RD. 211, RD. 265 observed high critical and can create havoc if it is breached. Govt officials were discussing to occur the breach at RD. 276 of channel to discharge the excess floodwater to reduce the water-level.
According to local sources, standing crops on more than 30 thousand acres fertile land including sugarcane, wheat, cotton, chili, tomatoes and rice would be lost/damaged when round about 0.2 million population also would be directly suffered or disturbed residing in Union council Pir Bodlo, Saman Sarkar, Khairpur Gamboh, Oliya Jarkas, Jhudo city, Malkani, Pangrio city and Dai Jarkas.
When according to district administration some measures has been taken amid to protect the people of the areas including, early warning issued to the people, functional high speed boats arranged for people’s evacuation, transportation arranged for people shifting to safer places, relief campus established in district Badin, monitoring system of the flow in LBOD established. medical team are ready for organizing medical campus in affected area, NGOs directed to support the IDPs, media sources coordinated for people awareness, concerned staffers made alert to facilitate the people when forces are alert to support the people during (if) evacuation.