SIALKOT: The winding, gushing Nullah Aik will be tamed into a small canal during its eight kilomtere course from the Sialkot city.

The Punjab government has released a Rs1.31 billion grant for the project to increase nullah’s capacity from 25,000 cusecs to 38,000 cusecs.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Dr Asif Tufail said at a meeting of the District Flood Disaster Management Committee on Wednesday the nullah’s portion which passed through the congested areas of Sialkot, would be dug and widened while encroachments along its banks would be removed.

The measures, the DCO said, would save the city from flooding.

The DCO said the Irrigation Department had issued notices to the Sialkot Tehsil Municipal Administration and the Public Health Engineering Department to halt disposing sewage into the Nullah Aik.

The project will be completed in one year.

He said earlier the Punjab government had planned to widen the nullah but it could not be implemented due to some hurdles.

This year, 38,127 cusecs flood water passed through the nullah flooding the Sialkot city, while 44,000 cusecs had also passed through the channel in 2014.

FLIGHTS: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will start a week-long Haj flight operation from the Sialkot International Airport on Wednesday (today).

Sialkot International Airport Limited Chairman Malik Muhammad Ashraf said the PIA would transport Sialkot region’s 2,200 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through seven flights.

A camp has also been established near Sialkot international airport to facilitate the pilgrims here.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2016