President directs completion of Kachhi canal within 18 months

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called for completing the Kachhi Canal project within 1.5 years, which would irrigate 713,000 acres of land in Balochistan.

He said that the federal government would provide funding for the project to ensure its timely completion on a priority basis. President Zardari gave these directions while chairing a meeting on the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday and Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and senior military officials attended the meeting.

The President was also briefed about the construction of six strategic canals for the Green Pakistan Initiative. President Zardari was informed that the construction of six strategic canals, viz. Chashma Right Bank Canal, Kachhi Canal, Rainee Canal, Greater Thal Canal, Cholistan Canal, and Thar Canal, would help enhance the agricultural potential of Pakistan by increasing the cultivable area as well as the livestock and fisheries potential of the country.

The president also proposed establishing a state land bank to productively utilize state-owned lands surrounding strategic canals by securing funding and investment from international financial institutions and the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

During the meeting, the president directed to kick start work on strategic canals for GPI and ensure their early completion, besides lining them with concrete to prevent seepage and wastage of water. He urged the need to develop Pakistan’s irrigation sector along modern lines to conserve water, reduce water losses, and enhance water availability.

He also underlined the need to promote drip irrigation in the barren areas surrounding the canals. The president underscored the need to revamp and improve the Indus River System Authority (Irsa). The meeting was also briefed that 27 telemetry points would be established to ensure accurate data sharing regarding the availability and flow of water.