20000116

216 bulldozers

deployed for

desilting in Punjab

LAHORE: The Field Wing of Punjab Agriculture Department is playing a leading role in the current desilting campaign by deploying 216 heavy duty bulldozers to expedite the pace of work across the province.

Director General (Fields) Agriculture, Muhammad Abid Farooq told APP here on Saturday that siltation of water channels badly affects the distribution of canal supplies in two major ways. It reduces their carrying and secondly, outlets located at the head reaches start drawing more water than their authorised share, due to raised water levels.

He said that the canal water supply to tail portion of distributaries/minors, therefore is adversely affected, and farmers located at tail ends suffer serious water shortages.

Hence regular desilting campaign is a pre-requisite for ensuring adequate water supply to all farmers to ultimately boost agricultural production in the country.

He said that during the campaign 461 water channels over a length of 1981 miles would be cleaned/desilted, that would involve removal of 1008.64 million cubic feet of silt.

The benefit to farmers will accrue in the form of increased water supply to additional 4 percent area and production will be increased by 15 percent. He said that now farmers even at tail ends will be able to avail their fair share of irrigation water.

Abid Farooq said that it was another 'first' that 55,000 jawans of Pakistan Army were engaged with the farmers in the desilting campaign, and hoped that by the grace of the Almighty, the drive will yield positive results on the country's agricultural produce.

Following is a division-wise break up of deployment of bulldozers. Faisalabad and Sargodha 26, Lahore (except Okara district) 15, Multan and D G Khan 101, Bahawalpur and Okara 60, and Gujranwala 14.ÑAPP