Only neutral observer can resolve water issues between Sindh, Punjab: SACM Hasaan

Only neutral observer can resolve water issues between Sindh, Punjab: SACM Hasaan

Staff Reporter
January 3, 2022

Only neutral observer can resolve water issues between Sindh, Punjab: SACM Hasaan

LAHORE: Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Hasaan Khawar said on Monday that only a neutral observer could resolve water issues between Sindh and Punjab as the problem was not being resolved due to non-cooperation of the former.

While addressing a press conference along with Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghhari on Monday, the SACM said the government is fully focused on developing the province and pointed out that the irrigation sector reforms were not done in the last 70 years.

“The four dams constructed during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tenure would keep reminding [people] about the incumbent government as they are more important than 57 dams constructed during the last seven decades,” he asserted.

The irrigation minister pointed out that Punjab is the only province working on water development resources. Sharing details, he said Punjab has the world’s best irrigation system that irrigates around 20 million acres of land.

He added that the Jalalpur canal irrigation system is an important mega project as 117-kilometres long canal from Rasul Barrage in the Jehlum canal would irrigate 0.17million acres of land in Pind Dadan Khan and Khushab.

Meanwhile, minister Mohsin Leghhari said that the PTI government has completed important barrages’ restoration projects including Panjnad Barrage where work has been completed to irrigate 1.6million acres of land in a better manner.

He added that the Trimmu Barrage restoration project has been completed as well while restoration work of the Salam Barrage was in progress which would help in better irrigation of 0.17million acres of land.

The minister said the irrigation department was working on small dams in the Potohar region including the Dadhocha Dam which would provide 35 million gallons of water daily to Rawalpindi.

He informed that the department has also started working to implement the E-Abiana system across Punjab while the E-Procurement system has also been enforced to ensure transparency in the contract awarding process.

The government has approved the Punjab Water Act 2019 to ensure improvement in water management, he added.

Leghari disclosed that 27,000 water theft cases have been reported in the campaign against malpractice, around 2,600 FIRs have been lodged and one thousand people have been arrested.

The minister said the human resource management system has been enforced to digitise the irrigation department.

Replying to the media questions, the SACM vowed to deliver the maximum in 2022.

“Sehat card is a ray of hope for people in 2022. This would maintain healthy competition between private hospitals while decreasing the load on government hospitals,” he said.

He added that the entire country except Sindh would benefit from it as personal interest was a priority of Sindh rulers as they are oblivious to the plight of their people.

Wheat is very expensive in Sindh as the rulers there only think of their interests, SACM said. He advised Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto to get Lahore domicile to benefit from Sehat Insaf Card as it would sensitise him that the people of Sindh also need such a project.

Read more: PPP’s Punjab challenge

He said the politics of PPP was in danger in Sindh and Bilawal should focus on his province because the people would take revenge on PPP in the 2023 election. PPP would also face defeat in Larkana, he prophesied.

The SACM said the government was focused to develop Punjab through long-term projects and reforms.

PPP slams PTI govt in Punjab

PPP Central Punjab Information Secretary Shahzad Saeed Cheema, while responding to the SACM’s presser, said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar is eating the resources of education and health of the province like a dinosaur.

He alleged that PTI leaders are making money by appointing and transferring high government officials.

He questioned that in which capacity a rental spokesman is criticising the government of another province.

Cheema said that Punjab is begging for wheat from Ukraine, adding there is no organisation like National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Punjab.

“The government has failed to establish a single model organisation in Punjab in the last three years,” PPP asserted and said the government has imposed a tax on medical equipment under the garb of the luxury tax.