Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the desilting campaign from the Lahore canal near Muslim Town Morr for removing silt from 17000 km long canals across the province.
Provincial ministers SM Tanveer, Amir Mir, Azfar Ali Nasir, commissioner Lahore, secretary irrigation, CCPO and others were also present. The CM removed silt through crane, stating that the first phase would continue till January 31, while embankments of 5000 km long canals would be repaired in the second phase, spanning over two months. Water would be available to 3 to 4 lakh acres of land after the desilting of canals; he added and further stated that the desilting drive has been launched after a long gap.
Talking to the media, he said that the silt would be removed from 17000 km long canals in the first phase as services of LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) have been acquired for round-the-clock monitoring.
For this purpose, concerned staff, DCs and commissioners have also been trained through LIMS as this drive would be continuously monitored through satellite images and NESPAK would also monitor it as a third party, he added. CM Naqvi mentioned that complaints have been received about the mixing of drainage water in the Lahore canal at some points, adding that a committee comprising MD WASA and DC would probe the matter, as it could not be allowed. He appealed to the citizens to avoid polluting the canal as the government could not do everything all alone. Meanwhile, the CM also mentioned that 26000 electric bikes and e-rickshaws have been given without interest and no building design was being approved without allocating parking space.
