LAYYAH, July 29: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has sanctioned Rs450 million for the construction of a dyke in this district under Drought Emergency Relief Assistance (DERA) Programme, Minister of State for Defence Production Sardar Bahadur Khan Sehar said on Friday.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Karor Lal Esan, Sehar said the dyke would protect around 300,000 acres of fertile lands from Indus River’s erosion besides crops worth Rs20 billion annually.

“On my personal request, the 40-year-old demand for construction of new dyke was being met and it would leave positive impact on the life of inhabitants of riverine areas of the district,” he added.

He said the dyke would be constructed in Karor and Layyah tehsils. He said the erosion had destroyed thousands of acres of fertile lands and if remedial measures were not taken, both Karor and Layyah cities would fall prey to erosion.

The riverine areas produce sugarcane, wheat, chilies, vegetables and fodder worth Rs20 billion. Besides this, vast pastures are major source of feeding around 600,000 cattle which produce 250,000 litres of milk daily.

The state minister said that feasibility and PC-I had already been submitted and the construction of dyke would be started in two months.