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Rs 13 billion water project for Barani areas
LAHORE (July 12 2004): Punjab Irrigation Minister Aamir Sultan Cheema has said that a Rs 13 billion project has been chalked out to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs in Barani areas, which would result in bringing millions of acres of barren land under cultivation.
Addressing a seminar at a hotel here he said: "Hill torrents affect the piedmont areas comprising over 47,000 acres, playing havoc with habitations in their path."
To address this problem, the government has planned to construct 13 diversionary structures on hill torrents in DG Khan, Rajanpur and Mianwali districts providing irrigation water to 475,000 acres land, he added.
This project, namely, 'Hill Torrents Flood Management' will cost Rs 5 billion.
In Cholistan area, the minister said, flood channels operating for hundred days provide irrigation for summer crops only and lack of irrigation water for remaining period of the year precludes further cropping which leads to mass migration of people and poverty.
Therefore, it is planned to construct 374 'village reservoirs' at a cost of Rs 3 billion in Cholistan to bring prosperity in the area, the minister said.
Cheema said that in Potohar area, the rainfall during monsoon ranges from 400 mm to 1400 mm but only a small fraction of this is being utilised.
He said that out of available run off of 1.88 maf, only 0.14 maf is being tapped through 31 small dams which provide irrigation facilities to an area of 32,000 acres.
As existing small dams have shown marked improvement in social and economic sectors, therefore, it is planned to construct 30 small dams, 1000 lined dams and 200 village reservoirs at a cost of Rs 5 billion in Potohar area.
This will create a great scope for development of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and livestock in the area, he added.
Courtesy Business Recorder |
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