Manchhar Lake: A Dying Ecosystem and the Crisis of Failed Drainage Projects

Manchhar Lake is facing a severe ecological and economic decline as water levels drop and critical drainage infrastructure projects remain incomplete, according to reporting by Dawn. The lake’s shrinking footprint has forced fishing communities to migrate across Sindh and Balochistan in search of livelihoods while a multi-billion rupee bypass project remains stalled after two decades.

Local fisherman Maula Bux Mallah, who leads the “Manchhar Bachao Ittehad,” reports that large sections of the lake bed have remained dry for several months. Mallah states that the lake is currently deprived of its traditional Indus River flows and water from the Khirthar range in Balochistan. He notes that fishermen are now limited to catching low-value fish that sell for 100 to 200 rupees per kilogram.

While the irrigation department officially places the lake’s level at 108.4 feet, Mallah disputes this figure, asserting the level is no more than 105 feet. Official records indicate the level could reach 123 feet if the lake received flows similar to the 2022 floods.

RBOD-II Project Delays and Financial Escalation

The Right Bank Outfall Drain-II (RBOD-II) project was designed by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) in the early 2000s to bypass Manchhar Lake and move effluent to a creek in Thatta. The project began in 2001 with an initial estimated cost of Rs14bn and a scheduled completion date of 2006.

Two decades later, the project remains unfinished. According to a July 8 briefing given to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly, work on RBOD-II has been suspended since 2015. Of a revised cost of Rs62bn, Rs40bn have been spent.

The project’s cost has seen significant revisions, climbing from 29.2 billion to Rs62bn. Sindh irrigation officials have faced criminal proceedings following allegations of embezzlement related to these expenditures. If work resumes, the project may require a third cost revision that could push the total expenditure toward 1 trillion rupees.

The stalemate persists due to a tripartite dispute between Sindh, Balochistan, and Wapda. While Wapda has handed the RBOD-III component to Balochistan and wants Sindh to take over RBOD-I (the Main Nara Valley Drain), the Sindh government has refused to accept RBOD-II in its current form and is demanding a new alignment.

Nai Gaj Dam and Ecological Recovery Efforts

A separate effort to revive the lake’s ecology involves the Nai Gaj Dam, which is being built on the Gaj Nai stream. The dam is designed to store 0.30 MAF of water and includes a 52-kilometer pipeline intended to supply 50 cusecs of freshwater to Manchhar. The project also aims to irrigate 28,000 acres of land and support a 4.2MW powerhouse.

The project started in 2012 but has been delayed by litigation in superior courts. On July 13, a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) bench set aside Sindh High Court orders regarding the project following an appeal by Wapda. The FCC directed the contractor to complete the remaining work based on the original contract and a September 21, 2021, memorandum of understanding. The current completion deadline is June 2025.

Intergovernmental Coordination on Water Security

On July 16, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro led a 13-member delegation to meet Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Mohammad Saeed in Lahore. The meeting focused on operational and maintenance challenges regarding Wapda projects in Sindh, specifically the drainage infrastructure.

The discussions addressed broader threats to Pakistan’s food, water, and energy security. The outcome of these deliberations may determine whether the communities dependent on Manchhar Lake receive the infrastructure support necessary to stabilize the region’s biodiversity and economy.