HYDERABAD, April 5: The country project director of the National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses’ monitoring unit, Nisar Ahmad Khoso, has directed for expediting development work of watercourses. Speaking at a meeting here, he said the project launched under the president’s package was of great importance because it would not only boost the country’s economy but also meet shortage of water by utilizing water efficiently.

He observed that Sindh was ahead of other parts of the country as for as progress of the work was concerned. However, he asked the officers to further expedite the development work with social mobilization and taking farmers into confidence.

The meeting was informed that the Hyderabad on-farm water management had received 312 applications from farmers against 254 targeted watercourses.

DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed told the meeting that lining of one watercourse, survey work of 237 watercourses, designing of 178 watercourses and earthwork of 51 watercourses had been completed. He said 134 watercourse associations had also been registered.

Dadu DCO Ilmuddin Bullo said of 170 targeted watercourses, 105 water courses were being implemented by the Dadu on-farm water management and remaining 65 were being implemented by the Jamshoro district. He said earthwork on 23 watercourses in Dadu and on 14 watercourses in Jamshoro was in progress.

UTILITY SHOP: To provide groceries to people at cheaper rates, the DCO inaugurated a mobile utility unit at the Shahbaz Building here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed said efforts were being made to control market prices by introducing different commodities at cheaper rates.

He directed the management of the utility store corporation to chalk out its mobile schedule for information of people so that they could have access to the mobile utility unit.