The Punjab government has evolved a strategy for providing hygienic drinking water, instalment of water meters to improve sanitation system in various districts of the province, said Secretary, Public Health Engineering, Mazhar Ali Khan.
He said this while addressing a meeting held to review the requirements pertaining to replacement of rusty water pipelines and sewerage of Sialkot City here on Saturday evening.
He informed that Public Health Engineering department was conducting a survey in different cities for estimating the project cost.
He said after the completion of survey a master plan would be designed for different cities, including Sialkot for the replacement of rusty water pipelines.
The proposed programme would be accomplished under phases for ensuring the contamination-free drinking water to the masses, he said.
The secretary said the step was being taken under the special directives of the chief minister for overcoming the growing threats of gastric problems and waterborne diseases, which are posing health problems in the province.
Mazhar Khan disclosed that more than Rs 1.5 billion would be spent on 800 schemes pertaining to water supply and sewerage in Punjab.
It has been decided that water meters would be installed at each water connection in Sialkot and other districts. The prime concept of installation of water meters at consumer's connection was to create awareness about the utilisation of water, he added.
The secretary seeks co-ordination and support of district government and Sialkot tehsil municipal administration for undertaking the work.
Speaking on the occasion, District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema said the replacement of water pipelines and sanitation work should be undertaken with the consultation of district government. He said the district government would not allow digging of city roads without inclusion of the cost of repair in the estimate of the proposed plan.
District Co-ordination Officer Rizwanullah Baig, union council nazims and other government officers attended the meeting.