The Punjab government has approved setting up of Environment Management Unit in Punjab Irrigation Development Authority (Pida) which will strive for environmental management in irrigation sector apart from creating awareness among the farming community regarding water pollution and its adverse effects.
This was revealed by General Manager Pakistan Irrigation Development Authority (Pida) Muhammad Aslam Qureshi while talking to Business Recorder here on Monday. Qureshi maintained that the provincial government in collaboration with the International Development Authority (IDA) is implementing reforms in the irrigation sector.
Irrigation department has already established 85 farmer organisations (Fos) in the area of Lower Chenab Canal (LCC) for implementation of reforms. Pida has signed agreements with the farmers' organisations for Area Water Board (AWB) and Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT). Under the agreements, the farmers' organisations will get the responsibility for operation and maintenance of distributaries and minor canals.
Praising the performance of farmers organisations engaged with Pida, he said that recovery of Abiana has improved and for the Rabi crop 2004-5, 75 percent Abiana has been collected. An amount of Rs 464 million has been collected as Abiana till February 2006. Efforts are underway to make the Area Water Board (AWB) functional in the first half of current year, he added.
To a question, he said that the provincial government has taken various steps to bring green revolution.
Throwing light on the on going institutional reforms in Punjab, he said that with the promulgation of Pida Act, reforms were initiated in irrigation sector. By the year 2000, initial documentation, legal framework for reforms and establishment of Pilot Area Water Board at lower chanab canal east circle Faisalabad, were carried out.
Three farmers organisation in Bahawalnager circle were established and Irrigation Management was transferred to them. About 85 farmers organisations at distributory level had been formed in Pilot Area Water Board lower Chanab canal east circle Faisalabad through elections among the chairmen of Khal Panchayats. The Area Water Board (AWB) is expected to be functional in this running month April 2, 2006.
Comments
Comments are closed.