2,778 new water filtration plants planned

CM satisfied with bottling projects in RY Khan, Bahawalpur, Khushab, DG Khan

LAHORE:

The Punjab government is installing 2,778 new water filtration plants in nine districts, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was informed on Tuesday.

The CM reviewed progress on the projects and directed authorities to expedite their completion to ensure access to clean drinking water.

Presiding over the sixth meeting on the provision of clean water, the chief minister reviewed in detail the progress on projects in Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Talagang, Attock, Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Rahim Yar Khan and Chakwal.

A report presented at the meeting showed that 2,778 new water filtration plants were being established in the nine districts.

The chief minister also expressed satisfaction over the water bottling projects in Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Khushab and Dera Ghazi Khan.

Officials said each bottling point was supplying 2,500 bottles of drinking water to the public daily with a capacity to provide 5,000 litres of clean water per hour.

Small dams were also being constructed in the Potohar region, they said.

The officials said 570 of 702 water filtration plants planned in Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan had been installed. The project also includes 95 reverse osmosis (RO) and 52 ultrafiltration (UF) plants in areas where groundwater is saline.

In another cluster, work on 902 of 1,180 filtration plants has been completed in Talagang, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock, Murree and Chakwal. The project also includes 231 RO plants in saline areas.

Meanwhile, 749 of 892 plants in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar have been completed. The government plans to install 130 RO and 64 UF and multimedia filtration (MF) plants in saline-water areas of the two districts.

The officials reported that the work at 368 of 482 sites in Chishtian, Minchinabad, Haroonabad and Fort Abbas had been completed along with 351 of 410 sites in Bahawalpur, Yazman, Ahmedpur East and Hasilpur.

The chief minister ordered measures for the rehabilitation of 736 non-functional filtration plants and stressed that timely completion of the projects was essential for public convenience.

"Access to clean water is a basic right of every individual," the CM said.

During a meeting with members of the Punjab Assembly from Okara, Chief Punjab Maryam Nawaz asked provincial lawmakers to maintain close contact with the people and said she wanted maximum progress on public projects within the shortest possible time.

The meeting was attended by Punjab Minister Ashiq Hussain Shah, Javed Alauddin Sajid, Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain Chhachhar, Noorul Amin Wattoo, Ali Abbas, Mian Yawar Zaman, Mian Muhammad Munir and Ghulam Raza.

The political situation, development projects and issues confronting the lawmakers' constituencies were discussed.

The legislators apprised the chief minister of public grievances and she assured them of steps for their resolution.

They welcomed the integrated Safe City network, construction and rehabilitation of a GT Road Bypass and the launch of electric bus service in Okara.

The chief minister said the provincial government wanted to complete as many public welfare projects as possible within a short period.

She said all cities and villages across the province were being cleaned for the first time.