Minister for measures to reserve water

LAHORE:Minister for Irrigation Mohsin Khan Laghari has said that water reservoir was the only way to protect future generation.

The minister on Thursday participated in Pakistan Water Conference held under Ministry of Irrigation with the cooperation of USAID and International Water Management. He said that by 2025, Pakistan is likely to be among the countries facing water scarcity.

We have to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to construct water reservoirs and more dams. Small dams can also be constructed for the storage of water instead of waiting for setup big dams. PTI government has started projects of setting up small dams on hill torrents. Smart utilisation of water will have to be ensured, the minister stressed. Secretary Irrigation Saif Anjum on the occasion said reforms process has been started in many sections of irrigation department. Human resource management system has been established whereas e-tendering and e-procurement systems have been introduced for ensuring transparency in the tenders of development schemes. E-Abyana system has also been launched for the transparent collection of Abayana, he said.

All the participants gave their recommendations to overcome the wastage of water and its better use. Amir Khan Chief Engineer Irrigation, Shahid Hameed, General Manager Wapda, Zahid Aziz, MD Wasa Lahore, Hammad Taqi, CEO WWF Pakistan, Fazal-ur-Rehman, Additional Secretary (Establishment) Irrigation, Habib Ullah Bodla (technical) Irrigation and Abdul Shakoor (operation and budget) Irrigation were participated in the meeting through a video link.

industrialisation: Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal chaired a meeting about the performance of Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company at the civil secretariat on Thursday. Secretary Industries Wasif Khurshid, CEO PIEDMC Ali Moazzam Syed, CEO PIBT and others attended the meeting while chairman PIEDMC Syed Nabeel Hashmi briefed about performance and future roadmap. The industries minister emphasised that a result-oriented strategy has been devised to expedite the industrialisation process and colonisation of industrial estates will usher in a new era of industrial development. He directed to adopt a uniform policy for the expansion project of Sundar Industrial Estate adding that construction of link roads should be included in the annual development program.

Mian Aslam Iqbal further directed to take every step for colonisation of industrial estates adding that the law department may also be consulted in case of any amendment in relevant rules. PIEDMC should expedite the colonisation process along with PIBT and a report about its past performance as well as future roadmap be presented, concluded the minister.