Rs 16 billion filtration plants to be set up at UC level: Musharraf

President General Musharraf has said that filtration plants would be installed at Union Council level to provide clean drinking water at a cost of Rs 16 billion and directed for ensuring stringent safety standards at the plants.
Chairing a review meeting on the pace of work for setting up filtration plants here at the Camp Office the President further directed to use modern technology and put in place a monitoring mechanism on sustainable basis in collaboration with the local governments.
The meeting was informed that the existing plants were set up by the district and city governments, while the President's initiative on clean water would be launched by September. The President directed third-party validation of the installed plants to ensure that quality and standards of safe water are maintained.
The new plants would be of a standard pre-fabricated customised design while the idea of containerised plants has been dropped. Minister for Industries and Special Initiatives Jehangir Tareen informed the meeting that 6585 filtration plants would be made operational by May 2008.
Another reports adds: President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday directed that the target for brick-lining of 18,700 watercourses at a cost of Rs 10,28 billion must be completed within the stipulated time for conservation of the country's water resources and increased supply for irrigation to the tail-enders.
Chairing a meeting on National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses, to review the progress of the project here at his Camp Office, he said a comprehensive policy has been adopted to preserve country's precious water resources.
He said the ambitious Rs 66 billion project of brick lining of water courses will increase water availability for farmers and boost agricultural yield. He said the target of brick lining of 86,000 watercourses was set in 2004 and noted that around 46 per cent work has been completed.
The meeting was informed that under the plan 5,000 courses would be brick-lined in Punjab, 2,400 in NWFP, 4,700 in Balochistan while 6,000 in Sindh and another 600 in AJK, Fata, Fana and Islamabad Capital Territory in the next fiscal year.
The President directed to initiate the second phase in NWFP, Balochistan and barani areas of the Punjab after completion of the first phase ahead of target. The President said necessary allocations have also been made in the Punjab Sector Development Programme.