LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to take immediate steps to transfer the control of the Chashma Right Bank Canal to the irrigation department and prepare a draft summary in this regard.

This was decided in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Wednesday. He also reviewed the progress on development schemes of the irrigation department.

The irrigation secretary briefed about the ongoing schemes. The CM directed to accelerate the pace of development work on ongoing schemes for their timely completion. The meeting also decided to overcome the illegal practice of pumping out the canal water and the CM directed to constitute a committee to review rules for the extension of canal command areas.

This committee will submit its comprehensive recommendations at the earliest. It was further decided to devise a policy for retrieving illegal occupation of areas adjoining the canals and the CM directed that the policy should be presented according to the timeframe.

Meanwhile, the meeting was told that feasibility reports have cleared the construction of small dams in the areas of Hathi Morr, Talang Ban and Khantak/Jalebi Morr in Koh-e-Suleman. Funds will be provided immediately for these projects.

The CM directed to provide resources for the Chobara Branch phase-II with further direction for restoration of Gang Nullah under the Vohwa Development Project.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021