Contractors’ refusal : Machinery Division desilts canals

Khursheed says contractors had refused to undertake desilting unless the rates fixed by the department were raised.

MULTAN: Machinery Division of the Irrigation and Power Department has started desilting perennial canals of the district after the contractors refused to do so, Chief Engineer (Irrigation) Murtaza Khursheed said on Sunday. He said the contractors had refused to undertake desilting unless the rates fixed by the department were raised. He said this would cost cheaper than the private contractors. Khursheed said perennial canals across the district would be reopened on January 28 after desilting of 22 canals selected in this year’s desiltation campaign. He said if the work appeared to be taking loo long, then silt would be removed only from the canals where siltlation was excessive.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2013.