RAWALPINDI: Divisional Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha said that the digital census has concluded but said that he had asked deputy commissioners to re-examine it in detail to eliminate chances of mistake.

He said that in this cause of national interest, all officials should perform their duties honestly as the negligence of any officer or official will not be tolerated in this regard.

He directed the deputy commissioners of Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum and Talagang to re-examine the digital census in detail to monitor administrative issues and remove any deficiencies. He said that accurate population statistics are very important for fair distribution of resources and any policy planning. Census staff should ensure that no soul is exempted from their enumeration, he said.

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting held regarding census in the Commissioner’s Office. Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, regional election commissioner, Regional Coordinator Census Syed Hasan Raza and DC Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal participated in the meeting through video link.

Commissioner asks officials to perform their duties honestly as negligence will not be tolerated

Mr Hasan Raza, while giving a briefing in the meeting said that 9,362 blocks were created in Rawalpindi division in which 5,610 supervisors, staff and enumerators have provided their services.

He further said that one supervisor in every 14 blocks and two enumerators in one block performed their duties. As many as 5,545 tablets were distributed across the division in which teams collected data by going door to door.

Dams to be made fully functional

In another meeting to review the work of the task force on dams, the commissioner said that we should attain full potential of existing dams along with constructing new ones.

He said that dams are multi beneficial projects as it incorporates domestic use, agriculture need, fisheries, irrigation as well as tourism opportunities.

He said that coordination between the departments concerned should be improved so that problems faced in their operation could be resolved immediately.

He was told that there are 11 dams on 14,530 acres in Jhelum district. Out of these, nine dams are complete and functional while two are non-functional. Garat, Jamergal, Tanpura I, Tanpura II, Lehri, Saliyal, Dumeli, Pandori, Gaurah Singh Uttam dams are complete and functional while Shah Habib Dam and Fatehpur Dam are non-functional.

Similarly, Attock district has a total of 20 dams on 31,686 acres. Out of them, 16 are complete and active and four are non operational.

Among these completed and functional dams are Kanjoor, Channibor, Shahpur, Mirwal, Jabi, Sawaal, Thatti Sayedan, Jabbi, Bisal, Sokra, Sepiala, Haji Shah, Qibla Bandi, Tilkana and Shakar Dara. While Tajabara, Sadriyal, Shahbazpura and Jalwal are non-operational.

This meeting regarding small dams at the commissioner’s office was attended by Director Development Nazia Sudhan, Project Director (Irrigation) Tabriz Elahi, PD (Small Dams) Hamza Sheikh and other officials.

Mr Chatha further said that the government has spent billions of rupees on the construction of these dams. He further added that being an agricultural region, we cannot afford that these dams remain non functional due to minor issues. He asked officials to figure out hindrances and solve them on a war footing. Also a brief on this headway should be given every week, he said, adding that Pakistan is on the top of those unfortunate countries who are facing the threat of water scarcity.

He said that we can extend the capacity of existing dams and build new dams not only to preserve rain water but also to reduce the risk of flooding.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2023