KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik discussed launching a 300-day Climate Action Plan to deal with the risks of upcoming monsoon rains and floods.
The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah and Principal Secretary Agha Wasif.
Both sides agreed to prepare a joint action plan before the monsoon, which is expected to arrive 15 days earlier this year. Under this plan, all four provinces will share proposals and projects aimed at reducing damages caused by heavy rains, riverine and flash floods.
Dr. Musadik Malik said the federal government would fully support provinces in opening the carbon credit market, which could help generate funds to combat climate challenges. CM Murad informed the meeting that Sindh had already started working on carbon credit marketing but needed to expand it further.
Murad highlighted that climate change had worsened the situation, adding that riverine floods pose a serious threat this year.
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He also pointed out that Sukkur Barrage’s capacity has fallen from its original 1.5 million cusecs to 960,000 cusecs due to hydraulic problems and the closure of 10 gates. “We must work to enhance Sukkur Barrage’s capacity,” he stressed.
The CM expressed concern over weak embankments along the Indus River. He said Japan was assisting Sindh in strengthening key embankments like KK Bund and Qadirpur-Shank Bund, and he hoped the projects would be completed soon.
Murad also underlined the importance of restoring natural waterways to better manage floodwaters.
He explained that after barrages were built in the 1930s, the natural flow of water was altered, creating the Katcha region. Sindh now has 14 canals, and both the Right Bank and Left Bank of the Indus River require proper drainage systems.
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On the Right Bank, hill torrents bring large inflows into Manchhar Lake, from where water is released through two canals — Aral Wah and Danister Wah. While both have been remodelled, Murad said they still need further improvements to handle future flood situations.
On the Left Bank, heavy rainfall from Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Tharparkar, and Umerkot districts needs natural outlets. In the past, the Hakro River carried this flow, but after the construction of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), natural passages were blocked, causing severe flooding and destruction during heavy rains.
The CM said the Sindh government had revived Dhoro Puran, which was inaugurated in 2024, to restore natural flows. He urged the federal government to extend full support in expanding Sukkur Barrage’s capacity and implementing proactive measures to protect lives and property during the upcoming monsoon season.
