The Left Bank Outfall Drain Project (LBOD) was carried out
with financing from the World Bank and ADB. Its aim was to
construct an irrigation drainage system to dispose the saline
effluent from the Southeastern part of the Sindh state in
Pakistan, into the Arabian Sea. The financing for LBOD was
completed in 1997, an incomplete part of it was completed
as a component of the National Drainage Program (NDP), under
the financing of the World Bank, ADB and JBIC (financing approved
in 1997). Furthermore, the plan to extend LBOD to the upstream
was also an integral part of NDP.
However, due to design defects, the LBOD collapsed at many
places during the cyclone of 1999 and the monsoons of 2003.
As a result, houses were destroyed and a large part of the
land deteriorated due to intrusion of seawater. In October
2004, the local NGOs and residents fearing that the advancement
of NDP would worsen the environmental and social effects of
LBOD, failed a complaint to the World Bank's Inspection Panel.
The panel conducted field investigations, and policy violations
were revealed. At present, an action plan is being executed
to rectify the problem and for reconstruction.
JACSES are carrying out a field investigation and policy
proposal activities in order to ensure a solution to these
problems and the guarantee of the accountability of the financing
Contact Person: Yuki