Independent Report
QUETTA: The interim government of Balochistan has decided to contact the Planning Cmmission for rehabilitation of the Kachhi canal.
While presiding over an important meeting on the progress on Kachhi canal Phase-II as well as repair, construction and rehabilitation of it’s flood affected parts in Naseerabad on Saturday, the caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan Domki emphasized upon the Planning Commission to expedite the pace on approval of PC-I submitted for the phase II of the project and repair of the parts affected due to devastating floods in the past.
The Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary planning and development, Abdul Saboor Kakar, Secretary Irrigation Hafiz Abdul Majid, Secretary Agriculture Sohail ur Rehman Baloch and other concerned officials were present in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, caretaker Chief Minister stressed the need to start work on construction and repair of the flood affected parts of the Kachhi canal at the earliest so that the agricultural production may be ensured once again in the affected command arras and the families associated with the agriculture sector may be saved from the economic miseries.
The Chief Minister also stressed the ECNEC may issue orders to WAPDA for repair of the Kachhi canal endorsing its decision.
He said that it is direly needed to restore the canal on the position of July 2022.
In addition to this, long term planning should also be made in view of possible flood situation in future, adding he stressed.
Earlier, the high ups of planning and development department, Irrigation department and Agriculture department and senior project coordinator briefed the meeting about the project.
It was informed that supply of water has been suspended to Balochistan because of the breaches caused in Kachhi canal following the floods hit the area in 2022. As a result of which, the cultivation of crops was affected on the land located in the command area of the canal which otherwise completed in year 2017.
It was further informed that almost Rs. 6 billion is required for immediate operation and rehabilitation of the canal. While on the other hand, release of funds are also necessary for progress on the phase-II as per the PC-I so as to resume work on these important projects of the province.
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