BAHAWALPUR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has revived a mega project of development of a lake costing Rs2 billion on the bank of dried-up river Sutlej near the city.

The river bed along the left bank has been proposed to be converted into the lake as a picnic spot.

The idea of lake is the brain-child of Minister of State for Education and Interior Affairs Baleeghur Rehman who had floated it some years ago.

Its feasibility report was finalised by former chief engineer, irrigation, Bahawalpur zone, Mr Qadri.

As the last Punjab government could not start work on it due to financial constraints, the project was shelved.

According to sources, the prime minister has now sanctioned an initial sum of Rs700 million for the project and formed an eight-member committee to oversee its implementation.

The minister is the head of this committee while Commissioner retired Capt Javed Akbar is its secretary. This committee, it is learnt, has already met twice. Under the plan, water for the lake will be brought from Mailsi link canal.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2015

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