PID to reconstruct and rehabilitate 36 canal-based water supply schemes

Lahore: The Punjab Irrigation Department has achieved the target of reconstruction and rehabilitation of 36 canal-based water supply schemes for the purpose of providing clean drinking water to the inhabitants of Mohajir Branch canal command area in saline zone of Khushab district. The implementation of this project was entrusted to the Public Health Engineering Division (PHED) Khushab with an estimated cost of Rs. 265 million.

It is one of the unique projects implemented for the provision of safe and clean drinking water for under-privileged communities. In this regard as many as 41 water supply schemes were indentified out of which 5 were completed by PHED funds. However, 36 schemes were found feasible and were selected for rehabilitation and construction. For these selected schemes a total of 36 Nos. of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) for male and 24 Nos. of female CBOs were formed, CBO offices were established, training regarding O&M of Rural Water Supply Schemes was provided, brochures, pamphlets and booklets for mass awareness were prepared.

After completion of WSS in a phased manner, PHED now has handed over majority of water supply schemes to concerned CBOs established for the sake of sustainability and effective management of water supply scheme. The most important impact of this project is the increased availability of safe and clean drinking water to the residents as a result of construction, rehabilitation and augmentation 36 WSS schemes. A total 92150 Nos. of persons had access to safe drinking water. Previously 34% residents of Khushab had access to clean drinking water. This percentage coverage has increased to 44% due to this project

It is pertinent to mention that Punjab Irrigation Department with the financial assistance of the World Bank is implementing the project of rehabilitation and modernization of Jinnah Barrage under the name Punjab Barrages Improvement Phase-II (PBIP-II) Project in Mianwali district. Besides rehabilitation and modernization of Jinnah Barrage, a Social Development Action Plan (SDAP) for the social betterment of inhabitants of Thal Canal command area was also envisaged. Under the project, rehabilitation of water supply schemes in Khashab, construction of boys and girls middle schools, Basic Health Unit in Canal Colony Duadkhel, construction of a mosque and establishment of a public park at barrage area and renovation of mosque at Canal Colony are included in SDAP. Moreover, in the year 2012-13, as many as 75491 wheat-seed bags were distributed free of cost to small farmers of Thal command area having land less than five acres in Mianwali, Khushab and Bhakkar districts. Similarly, as many as 96694 wheat-seed bags and 4730 packets of canola oilseeds were distributed amongst the small farmers of Thal command area in districts of Layyah and Muzaffargarh in the year 2013 for Rabi season under the project.