Safe drinking water being supplied to the desert

The construction of two more pipelines is underway

BAHAWALPUR: Cholistan Development Authority Managing Director Naeem Iqbal Syed said at a briefing at his office on Tuesday that the administration had ensured provision of safe drinking water to the residents of Cholistan desert. He said fresh drinking water was being pumped through four pipes round-the-clock.

He said there was a 92km-long pipeline stretching from Khaalri to Chak 108-DB, an 87km-long pipeline from Chak 111-DB to Nawan Kot, a 43km-long pipeline from Khatdi Dahra to Ofana, and a 54km-long pipeline from Mir Garh to Chondi. The CDA director said the pipes brought safe drinking water to 34,000 people and 60,000 cattle daily.

The construction of two more pipelines was underway, Syed said. “They are being built at an estimated cost of Rs652 million and Rs713 million…we hope they will turn things around for the people of Cholistan.”



The director said the projects were a part of the chief minister’s plan to develop Cholistan. Under the plan, the CDA had cleaned, repaired and extended 1,100 tobas (ponds) recently. “The reservoirs could earlier hold water for a maximum of four months. Now they can store water for up to eight months.”

He said the situation in Cholistan was under control. Water bowsers bring water to people living in areas near the India-Pakistan border where there are no pipelines, he said. The water is being transported with help from the Houbara Foundation and Pakistan Rangers, he said. He said water had been brought to the tobas at Korkan, Laakhan, Pathaniwala, Badiwala, Boharwala Dhori, Wanjoowala, Jiyawala, Talwaywala, Binj Kot, Ghonjranwala and Bhaalaywala so that the residents of Cholistan and their cattle would not have to migrate as the tobas dried up.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2016.