CS orders steps to check canal water theft

LAHORE:Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal has directed all the divisional commissioners to take immediate steps to prevent canal water theft and take strict action as per law by registering cases against those involved in these incidents.

He issued this directive while presiding over a meeting at the Civil Secretariat here on Thursday. The Secretary Agriculture, officials of Irrigation Department and officers concerned attended the meeting while all the divisional commissioners participated through a video link. The chief secretary said there is a shortage of canal water in the province this year and in such a situation water theft incidents are likely to increase. He directed the officers to register cases against those involved in water theft without accepting any kind of pressure. He said that committees should be set up at district level for checking.

He said that the theft of canal water also harms the national economy due to reduction in agricultural production. He lauded the Commissioner Bahawalpur Division for taking timely steps to address the problem of water shortage in Cholistan. Asking the divisional commissioners to submit a report about the areas facing water shortage, the chief secretary said that availability of water was expected to improve from next week.

Encroachments, traffic issues to be resolved: commissioner: Commissioner Lahore Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman said that prompt steps would be taken to resolve issues of temporary encroachments, traffic problems, building debris on roads, illegal bus stands and parking.

Commissioner Lahore directed to implement zero-tolerance policy in that regard. Commissioner Lahore said that DC Lahore would form 24 squads and establish camps for 24 roads of the City, in first phase within two days. He said this while chairing a meeting regarding temporary encroachments, traffic problems, building debris on roads, illegal parking and bus stands in Commissioner’s office here Thursday. The meeting was specially attended by CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamiana while DC Lahore Umar Sher Chatha, CTO Lahore Muntazir Mehdi, Additional Commissioner Coordination, Chief Engineer LDA, CO MCL and all other department's officers. Traffic camps and squads would be comprised of LTC inspectors, Lahore Parking Company, RTA, traffic police and district police while camps and special squads would also be formed for encroachments, debris on roads and wrong parking, he added. He said that unapproved commercial buildings without their own parking spaces would be sealed over hampering traffic flow. The Commissioner categorically said that in case of any irregularity, FIR would be lodged against the camps and squads concerned. He said that a comprehensive plan would be drawn up for the management of markets, parking inside walled city Lahore and the pushcarts. He said that illegal entity would always remain illegal but irregularities can be removed as per rules. A grand operation had been decided at whole Lahore level which would be started simultaneously to end the temporary encroachments and enforcement would be made sustainable, he added.

DC Lahore recommended to the Commissioner to deploy one DSP with each team to solve the problems on 24 roads.