BAHAWALPUR, Sept 15: The Rs400 million Cholistan potable water project will be completed by Dec 31. This was stated by the managing director and vice-chairman of Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) , Maj-Gen Abdul Razaq (Retired), while talking to a group of journalists who were shown one of the pipelines, laid over a distance of 84km from Chak-107/DB to Khariri.

The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank and comprises four pipelines measuring a total of 255km. According to the MD, work on these pipelines began about a year ago and the pipelines were now being tested by the contractors and would be handed over to the CDA by Dec 31.

During the briefing session at Yazman Rest House, the MD said that the pipeline visited by journalists cost Rs152.792 million and had 12 potable water tanks, each having a capacity of 12,000 gallons. It forms the second section of the network.

The first section comprises a 34km pipeline from Mirgarh to Churi costing Rs49.205 million, the third an 88.5km pipeline from Chak 111/DNB to Nawankot costing Rs129.205 million and the fourth a 43.5km pipeline from Khutri Dahar to Tufana costing Rs56.619 million.

He said these pipelines would cater to the needs of human and livestock population of Cholistan within the districts of Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar. The pipelines would be maintained by the CDA but supervised by the army that had already appointed staff at various points for the purpose.

He said 56 people belonging to Cholistan had been appointed by him to maintain these pipelines. A sum of Rs4 million would be required annually for maintenance of these pipelines.

He told a questioner that a new scheme had been recommended to the government for laying three more pipelines in Cholistan within the jurisdiction of Rahimyarkhan district. This scheme would cost Rs200 million. He said that Rs290 million would be spent on construction of 42 roads measuring about 150km in the Cholistan desert.