Irrigation dept to receive complaints round the clock: minister

LAHORE: Minister for Irrigation Mohsin Khan Leghari has said keeping in view the grave challenge of water theft in the province, the department has decided to set its complaint management system right by making its already introduced toll-free number functional.

Addressing a meeting at Irrigation Secretariat, the minister said the toll-free number introduced in 2007 for the registration of complaints and address them required revamp for effective management of ever-increasing complaints. The complaint cell in Punjab Irrigation Department will be receiving complaints round the clock on toll-free number 0800 11333.

Talking to the media, the minister said that the department was taking strict action against all the officers involved in water theft incidents. He said that recently a number of officers and field operatives had been suspended for their role in water theft incidents. He said Punjab Irrigation Department's Programme Mentoring and Implementation Unit had been tasked to respond to the complaints. He said the department was installing real-time flow monitoring system on canals.

The minister said the 100-day water master plan would comprehensively address the challenges faced by the water sector in the province. He said the plan was a part of Punjab's water policy which was ready to be sent to the Cabinet for approval. The policy is centered on integrated water resource management approach and seeks to address the urgent issue of groundwater depletion. He stressed the need for adopting various water-saving approaches like drip irrigation, tunnel farming, rain water harvesting and urban waste water recycling. He said an increased investment was needed for the rehabilitation of ageing irrigation infrastructure, including barrages and canals.