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 system.

Contact Person: Yuki Tanabe