Govt plans to improve irrigation system

SACM says neutral observer to help resolve Sindh-Punjab water issue

LAHORE:

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (SACM) Hasaan Khawar has said a neutral observer could resolve water issues between Sindh and Punjab as the matter was pending due to non-cooperation of Sindh.

Addressing a press conference along with Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari, the SACM emphasised that the government was fully focused to develop Punjab and pointed out the irrigation sector reforms were not done in the past 70 years. “Four dams constructed in the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would remind about the incumbent government as this infrastructure is more important than the 57 dams constructed during the last 70 years. The irrigation minister pointed out that Punjab was the only province that was working on water development resources.

He said, Punjab enjoys the world's best irrigation system that irrigates 21 million acres of land. He further said that the Jalalpur canal irrigation system was an important mega project as a 117-kilometre long canal from Rasul Barrage in the Jhelum canal would irrigate 0.17 million acres of land in Pind Dadan Khan and Khushab. Meanwhile, the PTI government has completed important barrages restoration projects including pan and barrage where work has been completed to irrigate 1.6 million acres of land in a better way, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2022.