CM Usman Buzdar approves expansion of rainwater storage project

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Thursday approved expansion of rainwater underground storage project to other districts. The stored water will be used for horticulture and drinking purposes after purification.

Chairing a meeting at his office to review the performance of the housing department, the chief minister approved gradual expansion of the project to other districts and directed the housing department to take steps in this regard. He said the underground storage tank facility at Lawrence Road was very useful as it could store 1.4 million gallon water for subsequent use. The chief minister said that a new sewerage line would be constructed from Larex Colony to Gulshan Ravi at an estimated cost of Rs14 billion.

Meanwhile, the government was also working on a surface water treatment plant in the provincial metropolis at cost of around Rs21 billion, he added. He said that a business plan had been devised so that Wasa could operate according to new requirements. A horticulture academy would also be set up in Lahore to train the people about the intricate art of garden cultivation and management, he said. He directed that construction of houses under the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme should be started soon and the private sector would be facilitated in this regard. He added the provision of clean drinking water projects under Aab Pak Authority be moved forward speedily as access to clean water was the basic right of every citizen. Around Rs6 billion have been earmarked for Aab Pak Authority to protect people from water-borne diseases, he said. The housing department should complete its public welfare projects within stipulated period, the CM added.

Earlier, the housing secretary briefed that 420 water supply and sanitation schemes had been completed. Housing Minister Mian Mehmood-ur-Rashid, LDA Vice-Chairman Sheikh Muhammad Imran, chief secretary, Chairman Provincial Task Force for Affordable Housing Yaqoob Tahir Izhar and others attended the meeting.

corruption: The PTI government is working tirelessly to root out corruption from the country. This was stated by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in a statement issued here Thursday. He asserted that the incumbent government had promoted the norm of transparency in government affairs and expressed satisfaction that the PTI

condolences: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has condoled the death of custodian of Golra Sharif shrine Pir Abdul Haq. In a message on Thursday, he extended sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that Allah Almighty rest the departed soul

in eternal peace.