Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday, directed the authorities concerned to ensure supply of water to the farmers at the tail end of the canals and to take stern actions against the elements involved in water-theft. He added that the exploitation of cultivators would not be tolerated any further.
He also directed to set up a high level committee headed by Provincial Minister for Irrigation to formulate recommendations for taking effective action against this criminal practice and awarding of deterrent punishment to the elements involved in such incidents. The committee will submit its recommendations within seven days.
He was addressing a high level meeting regarding supply of water at the tail end of canals and checking of water-theft at Chief Minister's Secretariat, here on Wednesday. The chief minister said that due to effective strategy adopted by the government during his last tenure, the incidents of water-theft had minimised. But, he said that such incidents have again increased and during his visits to different districts of the province, the cultivators had expressed their concern in this regard.
He directed that the law against water-theft should be made more stringent and the loopholes should be removed so that deterrent punishment could be awarded to the offenders. He said that welfare of farmers and solution to their problems was the responsibility of the government and it will make all out efforts to discharge its obligation.
Assembly Members participating in the meeting also put forward their proposals. Earlier, Secretary Irrigation gave a detailed briefing regarding the performance of the department. Senior Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad, Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah Khan, Members Provincial Assembly Colonel Ayub Gaadhi (Retd), Major Abdul Rehman Rana (Retd), Muhammad Rafique, Asif Manzoor Mohal, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Irrigation, Secretary Law as well as senior officers concerned were present.