Irrigation Department Punjab has a number of milestones worth-mentioning. Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif’s rule has been the brightest when monumental multipurpose projects were constructed to develop, plan, conserve, utilize and manage this important resource, both surface and ground water, in a judicious, equitable, sustainable and sound economic manner
LAHORE Sept 25 (TNS): Realizing that water is most essential natural resource next to the air, a basic human need and the most important input for all human development activities and, perhaps, very precious and scarce natural resource, and that it is a critical resource for sustainable economic development and in this perspective irrigated agriculture is of great importance in the socio-economic life as it provides linkages and ripple effects though which growth in other sectors is stimulated, Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif’s took endurable steps to preserve it.
Irrigation Department Punjab has a number of milestones worth-mentioning. Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif’s rule has been the brightest when monumental multipurpose projects were constructed to develop, plan, conserve, utilize and manage this important resource, both surface and ground water, in a judicious, equitable, sustainable and sound economic manner.
Pakistan’s agriculture primarily depends upon irrigation and irrigated lands supply more than 90% of the total agricultural production, account for about 25% of GDP, and employ around 50% of the labor force. They supply most of the country’s needed food-grain and also are the source of raw materials for major domestic industries and exports.
Timely availability of water greatly influences crop production and yields. In order to meet the agricultural needs therefore adequate and timely availability of water is an essential pre-requisite.
The irrigation water is delivered to the field through a network of barrages, main canals, branch canals, distributaries, minors, sub minors and outlets.
The irrigation System of Punjab consists of about 23,184 miles length of canals, which command Culture able Commanded Area (CCA) of about 21 million acres. The 24 canal systems, which have a total capacity of 1.10 lac cusecs, draw their allocated discharges from 14 barrages of the Punjab.
The barrages also control diversion of supplies to the inter-river link canals which transfer the water of the western rivers to the eastern rivers to cater for irrigation systems off taking from these rivers. The water from the rivers is diverted to Main Canals / Link Canals from Barrages and head Regulators and distributed to the farmer’s fields through 58,000 outlets after flowing through the lengthy irrigation net-work.
Taking advantage of the developments in the field of information technology, Irrigation & Power Department has initiated digitization of the daily gauges and discharge data of all the rivers, main canals, branch canals, feeders, distributaries, minors and sub minors for ensuring proper management of the Irrigation System and equitable distribution of canal water.
A specially designed system is being developed for each channel whereby data about authorized discharge, indented supply, gauge reading; actual releases of every channel will be entered in it on daily basis by each Canal Division. Under the data based arrangement decision makers / monitoring units, without waiting for the information from field, will have access to essential data through computers, which would enable them to make appropriate decision without delay. This digitized data would be used as a tool for achieving proper management of the canal system, equitable distribution of water to shareholders / Farmers Organizations.
Under the instructions from Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, for implementation of the Monitoring and Implementation Program envisaged for efficient and Optimal Canal Operations oriented towards equity and transparency, Programme Monitoring and Implementation Unit for Canal Operations and Discharge Data in Irrigation and Power Department, headed by a Chief Monitoring (Team Leader) has been established.
Some revolutionary projects were carried out by the Irrigation Department Punjab under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif.
They include: the recovery of Hill Torrent in the area of CRBC, Dera Ghazi Khan at the cost of Rs716.577 million. During the fiscal year 2009-2010, 12 small dams were constructed in Ogham, Sadrial, Tajbar, Shehbazpur, Manwal, Haji Shah and Durabi at the cost of Rs10 billion.
On the whole 10444 water channels were constructed and repaired in Punjab. In 2010 Taunsa Barrage Emergency Rehabilitation & Modernization Project (TBERM) was completed with financial assistance of the World Bank and JICA. The project comprises renovation / rehabilitation of sixty years old barrage and construction of a Sub-Weir to eliminate retrogression on the downstream side and stabilize the structure at the cost of Rs11232.38 million. Khanki headwork was constructed in the year 1892 and is one of the oldest weirs in the Subcontinent. The weir has deteriorated and outlived its life. A new barrage is, therefore, being constructed at a distance of 900 ft. from the existing weir on the downstream side at the cost of Rs23442 million. Rehabilitation & Modernization of Jinnah Barrage project was completed at the cost Rs3 billion.
Under Punjab arid agriculture investment program with the cooperation of Asian Development Bank, Pakpatan canal, Sulaimanki barrage, Thal Canal, Sidhnai canal, Tramoo barrage and Punjnad head works tasks were completed at the cost of $900 million. And under the same project was approved in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Jhang and Bahawulnagar with the cooperation of ECNC at the cost of Rs6.5 billion.
Moreover BRBD link canal was constructed Rs698 million, Chard drain at the cost of Rs228 million, Nala Dag at the cost of Rs540 million, Sargodah drainage system at the cost of Rs890 million, Faisalabad drainage system at the cost of Rs354 million, and construction work was completed in the selected irrigation channels at the cost of Rs990 million.
In the mountainous region flood canals were constructed at the cost of Rs5398 billion to control flood and devastation. Rs717 million worth project was approved mountainous region of DG Khan Irrigation zone Kaha and water ponds were also constructed to avoid flood disaster. Noshehra distributary system was recovered at the cost of Rs135 million.
Lower Bari Doab Canal was rehabilitated under the Arid Agriculture Investment Program. In Rajanpur Rs3300 million worth project has been completed for prevention of the destruction of flood canals. In Sialkot the canals were constructed and rehabilitated at the cost of Rs3851 million and flood prevention projects were initiated in the Kamonki city and the surrounded areas at the cost of Rs2280 million.
To facilitate the residents of Thal regarding irrigation, project worth Rs7000 million was initiated. In the Potohar area 65 small dams were constructed for the irrigation purpose. Ghabeer Dam was constructed at the cost of Rs4000 for the irrigation of arid areas. Mohra Shera Dam was constructed in Rawalpindi at the cost of Rs819.303 million. Dadarcha Dam was constructed at the cost of Rs4 billion. For the construction of Papan Dam land was allocated.
A cargo service was initiated on Indus River near Mianwali and an artificial lake was constructed in Lahore. Drainage and sanitation systems were constructed and rehabilitated throughout Punjab at the cost of Rs4175 million.
In the fiscal year 2016-17 Rs41billion was allocated for the irrigation department and the same year 81 old schemes were expected to complete and 57 new projects were initiated. Punjab Irrigation System Improvement Project was completed at the cost of Rs11.5 billion.
Hydraulic Evaluation Unit and Safety Evaluation Unit have been established. And real time flow management system project was also initiated at the cost of Rs224 million with international cooperation to consistently check the water flow in canals. And due to this system the updated water flow data would be available 24 hours on the irrigation website.
To increase the water reservoirs in district Lahore Rs15 million was allocated while Rs20 million was allocated for the detail observation and research activities regarding the ground water in Punjab.
