Canal Drainage Act 1873 to be amended: minister

Punjab Irrigation Department is to finalise proposals by February 20 next, to amend the Canal Drainage Act 1873, to make it in consonance with the requirements of the present day. Punjab Irrigation Minister Amer Sultan Cheema revealed this while speaking in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The minister, speaking of 132-years old legislation as not catering to the present needs of irrigation, said it would be over hauled and the department was making sincere efforts in that direction.
The Treasury benches led by the Minister opposed two amendments moved by the Opposition members Rao Ijaz Ali Khan and Tanvir Ashraf as insufficient for purpose and requirements of the Act.
Cheema averred in the House that provincial government did not intend to raise fines as proposed by the Opposition, however, it intended to facilitate farmers and other stakeholders.
Moreover, Syed Ehsan Ullah Waqas, Syed Waseem Akhtar and other provincial legislators presented amendments regarding Punjab Office of the Ombudsman (Amendment Bill 2004) and Punjab Education Foundation (Amendment Bill 2004) during the session.
Punjab Agriculture Minister Arshad Khan Lodhi replying to criticism of MMA parliamentary Leader Asghar Gujjar' s objection to high prices of fertiliser and pesticides dilated that federal government would soon make laws to control prices of fertiliser and pesticides in the country. 'Provincial Government has already taken serious notice of high rates of fertiliser and pesticides', he added.
Punjab Agriculture Department through its strenuous efforts was successful in getting bumper cotton crop in the province.
The minister on different questions asked during the session averred there were 56 agricultural farms in the custody of provincial agriculture department. He told that 21,67,000 metric tons of Basmati Rice was produced in the province during 2002.
The Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja, earlier, responding to a resolution by Treasury Benches, stated that Punjab Government would request Lahore High Court (LHC) to expedite the process of appointment of judges of family courts at district level in the province. 'It is the High Court authority to appoint judges and government can merely make request in this regard', he added.
The Punjab Assembly session was prorogued indefinitely by the Chair, later on.