Rs 34.02 million spent on repairing, maintaining channels

Out of their 40 percent share of Abiana collection, 84 farmer organisations (FOs) of Lower Chenab Canal (E) Circle Faisalabad have spent Rs 34.02 million on repairing and maintaining channels and rehabilitation of minor structures at the distributaries level while 24.15 million is still available with these FOs.
A Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority spokesman said on Friday that because of sustained efforts and development introduced by PIDA in the working of FOs, improvement in Abiana collection has been recorded. The FOs are also doing repair and maintenance work of channels on self help basis and an amount of Rs 3.8 million has been utilised for this purpose. Total cultivatable area in Lower Chenab Canal (E) is 1714501 acres, he added.
For the purpose of improving their performance, FOs developed its own competence and procured 10 jeeps, 52 motorcycles, one excavator machine and one photocopier for operationalisation and maintenance of channels in their area.