Extension of Right Bank Project to be launched to protect Lake Manchar

The government would launch 'Extension of Right Bank Outfall Drain from Sehwan to Sea (RBOD-II)' project at an estimated cost of Rs 62 billion to save Lake Manchar and the area under Kotri Barrage Command from contamination by the saline effluent coming from upper Sindh and Balochistan. According to documents available with Business Recorder, an amount of Rs49 billion (79 per cent) would be paid by the federal government while Rs 13 billion (21 per cent) would be shared by the Sindh government.
The objective of the project is to reclaim thousand of acres of land of Kotri Command Area for cultivation and save Lake Manchar and River Indus from saline effluent coming from upper Sindh and Balochistan. About 4.3 million acres of land of upper Sindh and Balochistan would be reclaimed for agriculture purposes.
The project would also revive the fisheries and migration of birds in Lake Manchar and thousand of people, particularly fisherman, would earn their livelihood. There would be a number of socio-economic benefits of the project like job opportunities during and after completion of the project for locals. After completion of the project, it would pave the way for further development of entire area on the right bank of River Indus. The people of Hyderabad and Karachi city would get better drinking water quality. It would have positive impacts on environment.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved the project at the cost of Rs 62 billion. A total of Rs 2 billion have been budgeted for the project for current fiscal year 2016-17. The project would be completed in November 2019. According to documents, a total of Rs 14.47 billion would be spent for earth work, Rs 10.68 billion for flood damage earth work and structure, Rs 21.99 billion for structure, Rs 1.1 billion for concrete lining, Rs 4.6 billion for flood protection work including add works, Rs 3.12 billion for land acquisition, Rs 689 million for relocation of facilities, Rs1.69 billion for design and engineering cost including establishment charges of client, etc, Rs2.32 billion for physical contingencies and Rs1.75 billion for price contingencies per year.