Water bodies: Artificial lake in the works

 The survey for the construction of an artificial lake and a bund along the Sutlej River has been completed. The lake will be constructed at a cost of Rs1.5 billion under a joint venture of the World Bank and the provincial government, Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib Zafar said on Wednesday. He was chairing a meeting to review progress on the project.  He said the lake would be constructed on 1,800 acres – of which 640 acres will fall in Bahawalpur district and 1,160 acres in Lodhran district. The officials were told to strictly follow all rules and regulations in acquiring land for the lake. A representative of the World Bank told officials that the project survey report would be presented to the NESPAK in the first week of February. Zafar said they wanted to start the project as soon as possible. “It holds massive importance for the people of Bahawalpur and Lodhran …it will not only provide recreational opportunities for people but will also help combat pollution.”