Faisalabad canals to be de-silted

Rehabilitation project worth Rs3.25b to improve flow of water

FAISALABAD:

Irrigation Department decided to start three projects for rehabilitation and de-silting of canals in Faisalabad zone with an estimated cost of Rs3.25 billion.

A spokesperson for the irrigation department said here on Tuesday that these projects would not only help in provision of irrigation water to the end-users but also brought a green revolution in the zone.

The irrigation department will also launch a crackdown against water theft and during this drive action would be taken against the water pilferers without any discrimination by imposing heavy fines and getting cases registered against them, he highlighted.

He added that the repair and rehabilitation was the need of the hour as the canal system was irrigating more than 1.8 million acres of land in the Faisalabad zone.

He further said that Rs2 billion would be spent on de-silting, repair and rehabilitation of Jhang Branch canal. Under this programme, brinks of Jhang Branch canal would be repaired in addition to the re-construction of its bridges which would help in increasing the flow of water.

Responding to a question, he added that structure of Jhang Branch Canal was made in 1835 and most parts of its brinks and bridges were expired. “Therefore, repair and re-construction of these brinks and bridges is imperative to save irrigation water from wastage.”

Similarly, Rs900 million would be spent on rehabilitation of Chiniot distributary while Rs.350 million would be expended on rehabilitation of Dijikot Drain, he stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2021.