Protest against breaching LBOD dyke in Thar enters fourth day

KARACHI: A protest sit-in over the possible breach at Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) Sim Nullah at RD-211 dyke due to rising flood water has entered the fourth day.

The sit-in has been ongoing on Thar Coal Road, originally known as Badin-Mithi Road, for four consecutive days by two different groups supporting and protesting against the cut to protect their local areas.

The group supporting the breach has demanded that the Sim Nullah should be cut to release the flood water from the natural waterway, while the group opposing claims that hundreds of villages and lands will be submerged and lead to huge losses.

According to reports, there has been no progress in negotiations between the administration and the protesters which has worsened the traffic situation.  Hundreds of people from Mirpurkhas, Jhado, Daghri, Pangrio, Malkani and Badin are present in protest since four days.

As a result, all roads to Tharparkar, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Karachi has been cut off for four days. The protesters strongly opposed making a cut at the LBOD dyke as they claimed the gushing water could flood their villages and crops.

Another protest is also been held at Kaloi tehsil of Tharparkar. The protestors said that if the breach is made off at Zero Point, the barrage area of ​​Thar will be submerged and local residents will be displaced.

On the other hands, the residents on Jhado said the sit-in will continue until the cut is made at zero point. They said three districts have been submerged by not making the breach. They said the situation in their areas would improve drastically if the cut is made.

The protesters on either side are also being led by local leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and some other parties who made put forward different demands to the officials.

The road to Tharparkar and Thar Coal has been closed for four days. Hundreds of vehicles have stopped while the truck drivers and transporters are demanding to reopen the Tharparkar-Karachi road.

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