PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH

IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT

LIST OF STARRED ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR

FRIDAY, THE 13TH FEBRUARY, 2026

22        *Mr. Ali Khurshidi:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

Current status of LBOD and RBOD as on 01-01-2024 including area-wise details of the same project during last five years?

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

The LBOD Circle was established on 03-05-2012, on transfer of project from WAPDA. The design discharge capacity of the LBOD Spinal Drain is 4600 cusecs, with a maximum carrying capacity of 7000 cusecs and zero free board. The spinal drain system collects surplus drainage and distributes it through a weir to two branch drains: the KadhanPateji Outfall Drain (KPOD) and the DhoroPuran Outfall Drain (DPOD). The system was designed to direct high-salinity drainage into the KPOD, which connects to the sea via the 26-mile-long Tidal Link canal.

While the left bank outfall drain system was primarily designed to mitigate water logging and salinity and handle storm floods caused by 150 mm rainfall, it is important to acknowledge that no man-made system is perfect, and every engineering project has its limitations. The system's capacity to handle extreme floods in a timely manner is restricted. The floods of 2003, 2011, 2020, and 2022 have highlighted several problems, limitations, and deficiencies in the existing system.

Notably, the current drainage system only covers the districts of Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar, and Tando Muhammad Khan, leaving significant areas without any drainage infrastructure. Furthermore, the intensity of drains in these areas is also low (1 m/ha in comparison to an international average of 35-50 m/ha; in the Netherlands, 100 m/ha). The landowners (khatedars) have implemented relief cuts to facilitate the drainage of surplus water into the system. During rainfall, canal water is diverted into the LBOD and Kotri systems, increasing the volume of drain water. Following the 2022 flood, rehabilitation efforts are currently underway to restore the existing LBOD system. These efforts include:

i.  DE-silting, de-weeding, and raising the banks of the main drain, branch drains, and sub-drains (including LBOD Spinal Drain, Mirpurkhas Main Drain, KPOD, DhoroPuran, SarfarazDhoro, and HakroDhoro) to above the flood level of 2022.

ii. Removal of illegal encroachments along the drains and dhoras, and restoration of natural waterways.

iii. Construction of new bridges and water course crossings to facilitate unobstructed water flow along the main drains.

iv. Major intervention of underpasses construction along LBOD Spinal Drain at RD 210.0 and RD 275.0, to provide free flow to natural water ways of PuranDhoro and PingrioDhoro. The work currently in progress at RD 210.0 and RD-275 are scheduled for completion by June 2025.

RBOD

The RBOD-I and RBOD-III projects are federally funded drainage projects implemented by WAPDA. The Lower Indus Right Bank Irrigation and Drainage Project (LIRBP) (Stage-I) RBOD-I Project was initiated in 1994 at a total cost of Rs.4,395 million and was scheduled to be completed in four years. The work could not be completed as scheduled and it took around 26 years for the scheme to its completion.

In the meantime, RBOD-III was initiated by WAPDA in 2004 at a cost of Rs. 10,804 million. Both Projects i.e. RBOD-I & RBOD-III, were completed officially on 30.06.2020 & 30-6-2021 respectively. However, the handing and taking over could not be completed between WAPDA and the Sindh Irrigation Department mainly because of the flood damages on it.

Consequently, a PC-I Restoration of flood-2022 damages RBOD-I & III Projects in Sindh Province has been prepared by WAPDA at a cost of Rs. 8,332.342 million, based on the Joint Flood Damages Assessment by Irrigation Department and WAPDA. The said PC-I is still lying with the Federal Government.

 The RBOD-II was not the part of original RBOD Project conceived under Right Bank Flood Management Plan prepared in 1990 and the detailed Feasibility Study completed in 1992. The concept of RBOD-II emerged when a heavy loss to the life was caused in 2004 in Hyderabad and lower Sindh due to discharge of highly contaminated effluent of RBOD-I and RBOD-III by WAPDA into Indus River. The RBOD-II route being highly vulnerable to floods, it is near to impossible to manage RBOD-II during high Floods.

148      *Ms. Bilqees Mukhtar:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

(a)    Is it a fact that mixture of contaminated water of Manchar Lake into Indus River causes to increase of Hepatitis and Gastro diseases;

(b)   If answer to (a) above be in the affirmative steps taken to curb the menace?

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

The Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan Islamabad directed to Irrigation Department through a Water Testing Laboratory Hyderabad lead by Dr. Ahsan Siddiqui, to check and analyze the Water Quality of water in Indus River upstream of Kotri Barrage on daily basis and submit the water analysis testing reports to the Irrigation Authorities as well as District Administration. In compliance of such directions the Irrigation Department release Manchar water into the Indus River as per ratio 1:40 as per direction of Water Testing Laboratory Hyderabad. Furthermore, now a days the discharge level in River Indus is increasing day by day. Currently, Gates of Manchar Lake have been fully closed from 25-03-2024 and no any water released to River Indus.

299      *Ms. Qurat-ul-Ain Khan:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

How much amount spent was sanctioned for repair and maintenance of Kotri Barrage during FY 2018-19 to 2023-24 including amount actually spent and details of works carried-out?

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

The details of the amount spent for repair and maintenance of Kotri Barrage for the Financial Year 2018-19 to 2023-24 are as under:-

(Rs. in million)

417      *Mr. Muhammad Daniyal:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

(a)    Is it a fact that agriculture sector in lower Sindh has suffered devastation due to uneven water distribution;

(b)    If answer to (a) above is affirmative, steps taken by the Government to save the agriculture?

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

To some extent, this assertion is correct. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) does not completely release the due share of water at start of Kharif season in April. Instead, they release it in the middle or end of June. This delayed release of water has drastic effects on agriculture, particularly in the command areas of the lower Sindh canals that draw water from the Kotri Barrage. 

Sindh Province has raised concerns regarding this matter with upper riparian projects and opposed several schemes, including the Greater Thal Canal, Rainee Canal Phase-II, and the WAPDA proposal for a new area development plan.

The Sindh Irrigation Department has made significant investments to address water scarcity by lining channels and watercourses to conserve water. Moreover, several small dams have been constructed to recharge groundwater. The department has also launched public awareness campaigns to educate the community on water conservation practices.

The available water is being distributed and managed through the internal rotation of channels.

826      *Mr. Muhammad Shabbir Qureshi:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

(a)    Is it a fact that a projpect of Makhi farash link canal  (chotiari phase-2) for water supply to Thar Coal project with cost of Rs. 10.612 billion with 50% share by government of Sindh is to be completed by 2020 ;

(b)   If answer to (a) above is affirmative, detail of work completed and amount spent to date?

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

Yes. According to  financial phasing of approved PC-I,  of the scheme should have been completed by June 2020 with 50:50 share of Federal and Sindh Government but due to budget constraints the scheme could not be completed within the targeted period. However, revised Administrative Approval of the scheme has been issued by Irrigation Department for amounting to Rs.12,087 Million. Government of Sindh has also allocated balance funds of Rs. 1475.089 Million to complete the scheme during current financial year 2024-25.

The Physical achievement of Makhi Farash Link Canal Project (Phase-II) is 94% of the scheme with the expenditure of Rs. 9438.994 Million up to date. The component wise physical and financial position is at Annexure placed on the Table of the House.

828      *Mr. Muhammad Shabbir Qureshi:  

Will the Minister for Irrigation be pleased to State:-

(a)     Is it a fact that there is project construction of NaiGaj dam project at Dadu with total cost Rs. 26,236.030 million government of Sindh share Rs. 1899.20 million;

(b)     If answer to (a) above is affirmative, detail of work completed to-date

ANSWER

MR. JAM KHAN SHORO, MINISTER FOR IRRIGATION: 

o    Nai Gaj Dam Project is under execution by WAPDA since 2009. Located in Dadu District on hill torrent of Gaj in Khirthar Range, the dam has live storage capacity of 160,000 AF with culturable command area of 28,800 acres of Katcho area between F.P Bund and Khirthar Hills.

o    The scheme was originally approved at cost of Rs.16.924 Billion in 2009 with first revision at the cost of Rs.26.236 Billion in 2012. The share of Sindh Province is limited to the Scope of Land Acquisition, resettlement and security, amounting Rs.1899.200 Million as per following breakup.

o    The 2nd Revised PC-I for the scheme was approved @ the cost of Rs.46,980.350 Million. The cause of revision being cost escalation due to deferred financing and change in scope of work due to design modification. The share of GoS in the 2nd Revised PC-I is same i.e. Rs.1899.200 Million.

o    The provision of funds on account of land acquisition, compensation and re-settlement amounting to Rs.500.000 million are earmarked in ADP at Gen. Sr. No.2930 2024-25 against total allocation of Rs.1,899.200 Million for the subject Project (Annexure-I Placed on the Table of the House).

o    In this regard, it is stated that the demand regarding release of Rs.170.000 Million was received from WAPDA (Annexure-II Placed on the Table of the House) against GoS Share on account of disbursement of funds to the land acquisition officer through D.C Dadu. Accordingly, the Finance Department GoS has released Rs.125.000 Million and placed at the disposal of Chief Engineer Sukkur Barrage Right Bank Region Larkana for further disbursement to the concerned quarters (Annexure-III Placed on the Table of the House).

Since, the Project is being implemented by WAPDA hence, details of physical and financial progress is concerned withWAPDA.

KARACHI:                                                                      G.M UMAR FAROOQ

DATED THE 12TH FEBRUARY, 2026                                  SECRETARY

                                                                                  PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH