Punjab Government to launch the “clean water project”

Lahore: Punjab government has decided to launch the “clean water project” for providing potable water to the people of the province under which clean drinking water would be provided to every home during next five years. An amount of Rs.10 billion will be spent on the provision of clean drinking water during current financial year.

This was decided at a high level meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif here today. Provincial Health Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu, MNA Maj. Retd. Tahir Iqbal, MPA Waheed Gull, Secretary Health, Secretary Finance, Secretary Information, MD WASA and concerned officials attended the meeting. Secretary Public Health & Engineering gave a detailed briefing regarding the “clean water project”.

Addressing the meeting, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that provision of potable water to the people is one of the priorities of the government and a comprehensive strategy has been evolved for this purpose.

The Chief Minister said that it is unfortunate that people are still deprived of clean drinking water at various places in the province and are suffering from various diseases due to polluted water. He said that resources are trust of the people and clean drinking water is their basic need.

Therefore, the clean drinking water project is being launched and it would be completed in a transparent manner in stipulated time, he added. Shahbaz Sharif while directing to increase the amount of Rs. 5 billion allocated for clean drinking water project during the current year to Rs.10 billion said that provision of potable water to the people is of great importance and this facility should be provided to the maximum areas during current financial year under this project. He said that special attention should be paid to those rural and urban areas where this problem is serious.

While directing to double the funds for clean drinking water, he said that like other projects, this is also an important project and funds should be allocated generously for this purpose. The Chief Minister said that the manpower and technical expertise with Public Health & Engineering Department for launching this project is insufficient, therefore, services of best consultants should be acquired for this project and water filtration plants should be purchased from those companies which should also be responsible of after sale service. He directed that the project should be completed expeditiously and warned that no negligence would be tolerated in this public welfare project.

Shahbaz Sharif said that provision of clean drinking water to a large number of people is a big challenge which will be met at every cost. He directed that the old infrastructure of water supply should be restored under a phased programme and a strategy should be evolved for treating polluted water of factories. The Chief Minister said that a conference regarding clean drinking water should be arranged in which all stakeholders should be invited. He directed Chairman Planning & Development to take immediate steps for capacity-building of government departments and inform about the steps taken in this regard within 30 days.

Earlier, Secretary Public Health & Engineering Waseem Mukhtar gave a detailed briefing with regard to clean drinking water project. He told that initially this project would be launched in six districts as a pilot project and later, it scope would be extended to all districts of the province. He informed that besides provision of WAPDA electricity to water plants, planning of providing solar energy facility has also been made.